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>',!  ;!l  Ml 


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ii. !:.i:|j!ij!p;i:!])jfi;;p!’];!p;’  :i"' 

•  :  I  :  '  :  {).:•.  i  ‘ ;  i  •  ‘  ;  It  *  i  i  j  i  j  j  | '  P  •  ’  |  i  ?  j  U  I  ‘ I T  |  • 1 1  ! 
ill  > *• :  [*  ‘i ii 1 1  i! t •  i  •  ■  * *• J- 1 •  •  * » i 1  i i: i f i 1 i i  j L;  f  j  i •  I m li" ! 
1 1  i !?  1 1 1  *  1 1 ! '  !  i  \ !  1  • 1  -  •  I  •' •  * 5 1 1 1  i  m  1 5 1  i  i  \  Irfjpmifi 
s‘i ‘iidr  ::  =: ini-  1  i  *  *  ih  H  ' 


I'ipii-jij  ijijijiiMiji'iiiftiif!;! ^  iilijj  ij  i 

!  I }  |  j  I  I 

•  ;  I  I  •  •  * ;  I  1 : .  : »  ; !  I  •.  t  i  i !  ‘ .  S  « .  •  J  . .  :  .  v  j  f  i »  »  H  .  •  » !  2 


<?y>7  ot'??  CTT^  t'O  c>y^  ^ 


■  ...  i  ■ ;  ■  "  '  :  : 1 

'ii.  ; 1  ••  i i !  I  l!,ii>|',ii| 

i piipiiiil^inpjil'i  jili; 


•!i  I'ii:;  l  j!:-;  in  i  il  u  is  ?j  1  i!  il 

••} I *•  H  :  «  1 1 1  • ;  ■  • .  ■  •  !  i III U J ;  * i  * 

•’  -id  V  •  lit*  jiiiiijj M  \  iilii  ikjjyiiti&St 


OAK  ST.  EDS} 


^ rr~  —  iC  \ /T^ ^Zk  >1^.  —  

rr: 

W  Jrarning  an!)  Jabot. 

|  LIBRARY 

|  University  of  Illinois,  j 

^  CLASS.  BOOK.  VOLUME.  m 

| . ^V!b. . L.T^.K.-m  . # 

Books  are  not  to  be  taken  from  the  Library  § 

f  A  I 

^  Accession  No .  |[ 


PREFACE. 


THOSE  who  have  done  us  the  favor  to  read  ‘ ‘  Home¬ 
ward  Bound”  will  at  once  perceive  that  the 
incidents  of  this  book  commence  at  the  point 
where  those  of  the  work  just  mentioned  ceased. 
We  are  fully  aware  of  the  disadvantage  of  dividing  the 
interest  of  a  tale  in  this  manner  ;  but  in  the  present  instance, 
the  separation  has  been  produced  by  circumstances  over 
which  the  writer  had  very  little  control.  As  any  one  who. 
may  happen  to  take  up  this  volume  will  very  soon  discover 
that  there  is  other  matter  which  it  is  necessary  to  know,  it 
'  may  be  as  well  to  tell  all  such  persons,  in  commencement, 
therefore,  that  their  reading  will  be  bootless,  unless  they 
have  leisure  to  turn  to  the  pages  of  ‘‘Homeward  Bound” 
for  their  cue. 

We  remember  the  despair  with  which  that  admirable  ob¬ 
server  of  men,  Mr.  Mathews  the  comedian,  confessed  the 
hopelessness  of  success,  in  his  endeavors  to  obtain  a  suffi¬ 
ciency  of  prominent  and  distinctive  features  to  compose  an 
entertainment  founded  on  American  character.  The  whole 
nation  struck  him  as  being  destitute  of  salient  points,  and 
as  characterized  by  a  respectable  mediocrity,  that,  however 
useful  it  might  be  in  its  way,  was  utterly  without  poetry, 
humor,  or  interest  to  the  observer.  For  one  who  dealt 
principally  with  the  more  conspicuous  absurdities  of  his 
fellow-creatures,  Mr.  Mathews  was  certainly  right ;  we  also 
believe  him  to  have  been  right  in  the  main,  in  the  general 
tenor  of  his  opinion  ;  for  this  country,  in  its  ordinary  aspects, 
probably  presents  as  barren  a  field  to  the  writer  of  fiction, 


m 


IV 


preface 


and  to  the  dramatist,  as  any  other  on  earth  ;  we  are  not  cer¬ 
tain  that  we  might  not  say  the  most  barren.  We  believe 
that  no  attempt  to  delineate  ordinary  American  life,  either 
on  the  stage  or  in  the  pages  of  a  novel,  has  been  rewarded 
with  success.  Even  those  works  in  which  the  desire  to  il¬ 
lustrate  a  principle  has  been  the  aim,  when  the  picture  has 
been  brought  within  this  homely  frame,  have  had  to  contend 
with  disadvantages  that  have  been  commonly  found  insur¬ 
mountable.  The  latter  being  the  intention  of  this  book,  the 
task  has  been  undertaken  with  a  perfect  consciousness  of  all 
its  difficulties,  and  w7ith  scarcely  a  hope  of  success.  It  would 
be  indeed  a  desperate  undertaking,  to  think  of  making  any¬ 
thing  interesting  in  the  way  of  a  Romaii  de  SociStS  in  this 
country  \  still,  useful  glances  may  possibly  be  made  even 
in  that  direction,  and  we  trust  that  the  fidelity  of  one  or 
two  of  our  portraits  will  be  recognized  by  the  looker-on, 
although  they  w7ill  very  likely  be  denied  by  the  sitters  them¬ 
selves. 

There  seems  to  be  a  pervading  principle  in  things,  which 
gives  an  accumulating  energy  to  any  active  property  that 
may  happen  to  be  in  the  ascendant  at  the  time  being  : 
money  produces  money  ;  knowledge  is  the  parent  of  knowl¬ 
edge  ;  and  ignorance  fortifies  ignorance.  In  a  word,  like 
'  begets  like,  f  The  governing  social  evil  of  America  is  pro¬ 
vincialism  ;  a  misfortune  that  is  perhaps  inseparable  from 
/•her  situation.  Without  a  social  capital,  with  twenty  or 
more  communities  divided  by  distance  and  political  barriers, 

I  her  people,  who  are  really  more  homogeneous  than  any 
other  of  the  same  numbers  in  the  world  perhaps,  possess  no 
iStancTafcT  for  opinion,  manners,  social  maxims,  or  even  lan¬ 
guage.  Every  man,  as  a  matter  of  course,  refers  to  his  owTn 

I I  particular  experience,  and  praises  or  condemns  agreeably  to 
notions  contracted  in  the  circle  of  his  own  habits,  however 

\j  narrow,  provincial,  or  erroneous  they  may  happen  to  be.^ 
■  As  a  consequence,  no  useful  stage  can  exist  ;  for  the  dram¬ 
atist  wffio  should  endeavor  to  delineate  the  faults  of  so¬ 
ciety,  w7ould  find  a  formidable  party  arrayed  against  him, 
in  a  moment,  wTith  no  party  to  defend.  As  another  conse¬ 
quence,  w7e  see  individuals  constantly  assailed  wTith  a  w7olf- 


preface 


V 


like  ferocity,  while  society  is  everywhere  permitted  to  pass 
unscathed. 

That  the  American  nation  is  a  great  nation,  in  some  par¬ 
ticulars  the  greatest  the  world  ever  saw,  we  hold  to  be  true, 
and  are  as  ready  to  maintain  as  any  one  can  be  ;  but  w  e  are 
also  equally  ready  to  concede,  that  it  is  very  far  behind 
most  polished  nations  in  various  essentials,  and  chiefly  that 
it  is  lamentably  in  arrears  to  its  own  avowed  principles. 
Perhaps  this  truth  will  be  found  to  be  the  predominant 
thought,  throughout  the  pages  of  “Home  as  Found.” 


HOME  AS  FOUND. 


CHAPTER  I. 

“  ‘  Good  morrow,  coz.’ 

‘  Good  morrow,  sweet  Hero.’  ” 

Much  Ado  About  Nothing. 

WHEN  Mr.  Effingham  determined  to  return  home, 
he  sent  orders  to  his  agent  to  prepare  his  town- 
house  in  New  York  for  his  reception,  intend¬ 
ing  to  pass  a  month  or  two  in  it,  then  to  repair 
to  Washington  for  a  few  weeks,  at  the  close  of  its  season, 
and  to  visit  his  country  residence  when  the  spring  should 
fairly  open.  Accordingly,  Eve  now  found  herself  at  the  head 
of  one  of  the  largest  establishments  in  the  largest  American 
town,  within  an  hour  after  she  had  landed  from  the  ship. 
Fortunately  for  her,  however,  her  father  was  too  just  to  con¬ 
sider  a  wife  or  a  daughter  a  mere  upper  servant,  and  he 
rightly  judged  that  a  liberal  portion  of  his  income  should  be 
assigned  to  the  procuring  of  that  higher  quality  of  domestic 
service,  which  can  alone  relieve  the  mistress  of  a  household 
from  a  burden  so  heavy  to  be  borne.  Unlike  so  many  of 
those  around  him,  who  would  spend  on  a  single  pretending 
and  comfortless  entertainment,  in  which  the  ostentatious 
folly  of  one  contended  with  the  ostentatious  folly  of  another, 
a  sum  that,  properly  directed,  would  introduce  order  and 
system  into  a  family  for  a  twelvemonth,  by  commanding 
the  time  and  knowledge  of  those  whose  study  they  had 
been,  and  who  would  be  willing  to  devote  themselves  to 


2 


Ibonte  as  f  ounfc 


such  objects,  and  then  permit  their  wives  and  daughters  to 
return  to  the  drudgery  to  which  the  sex  seems  doomed  in 
this  country,  he  first  bethought  him  of  the  wants  of  social 
life  before  he  aspired  to  its  parade.  A  man  of  the  world, 
Mr.  Effingham  possessed  the  requisite  knowledge,  and  a 
man  of  justice,  the  requisite  fairness,  to  permit  those  who 
depended  on  him  so  much  for  their  happiness,  to  share 
equitably  in  the  good  things  that  Providence  had  so  liber¬ 
ally  bestowed  on  himsell.  In  other  words,  he  made  two 
people  comfortable  by  paying  a  generous  price  for  a  house¬ 
keeper  :  his  daughter,  in  the  first  place,  by  releasing  her 
from  cares  that  necessarily  formed  no  more  a  part  of  her 
duties  than  it  would  be  a  part  of  her  duty  to  sweep  the 
pavement  before  the  door  ;  and  in  the  next  place  a  v ery 
respectable  woman,  who  was  glad  to  obtain  so  good  a  home 
on  so  easy  terms.  To  this  simple  and  just  expedient  E\e 
was  indebted  for  being  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  quietest, 
most  truly  elegant,  and  best  ordered  establishments  in 
America,  with  no  other  demands  on  her  time  than  that 
which  was  necessary  to  issue  a  few  orders  in  the  morning, 
and  to  examine  a  few  accounts  once  a  week. 

One  of  the  first  and  most  acceptable  of  the  visits  that  Eve 
received  was  from  her  cousin,  Grace  Van  Cortlandt,  who  was 
in  the  country  at  the  moment  of  her  arrival,  but  who  hurried 
back  to  town  to  meet  her  old  schoolfellow  and  kinswoman, 
the  instant  she  heard  of  her  having  landed.  Eve  Effingham 
and  Grace  Van  Cortlandt  were  sisters’  children,  and  had  been 
born  within  a  month  of  each  other.  As  the  latter  was  with¬ 
out  father  or  mother,  most  of  their  time  had  been  passed 
together,  until  the  former  was  taken  abroad,  when  a  separa¬ 
tion  unavoidably  ensued.  Mr.  Effingham  ardently  desiied, 
and  had  actually  designed  to  take  his  niece  with  him  to 
Europe,  but  her  paternal  grandfather,  who  was  still  living, 
objected  his  years  and  affection,  and  the  scheme  was  reluc¬ 
tantly  abandoned.  This  grandfather  was  now  dead,  and 
Grace  had  been  left,  with  a  very  ample  fortune,  almost  en¬ 
tirely  the  mistress  of  her  own  movements. 

The  moment  of  the  meeting  between  these  two  warm¬ 
hearted  and  sincerely  attached  young  women  was  one  of 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


3 


great  interest  and  anxiety  to  both.  They  retained  for  each 
other  the  tenderest  love,  though  the  years  that  had  separ¬ 
ated  them  had  given  rise  to  so  many  new  impressions  and 
habits,  that  they  did  not  prepare  themselves  for  the  interview 
without  apprehension.  This  interview  took  place  about  a 
week  after  Eve  was  established  in  Hudson  Square,  and  at  an 
hour  earlier  than  was  usual  for  the  reception  of  visits. 
Hearing  a  carriage  stop  before  the  door,  and  the  bell  ring, 
our  heroine  stole  a  glance  from  behind  a  curtain,  and  recog¬ 
nized  her  cousin  as  she  alighted. 

“  Qu' avez-vous,  ma  chSre  ?  ’  ’  demanded  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  observing  that  her  Sieve  trembled  and  grew  pale. 

“It  is  my  cousin,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt — she  whom  I 
loved  as  a  sister  ;  we  now  meet  for  the  first  time  in  so  many 
years !  ” 

“  Bien—dest  une  tr"es  jolie  jnene  personnel ”  returned  the 
governess,  taking  a  glance  from  the  spot  Eve  had  just  quitted. 

“  Sur  le  rapport  de  la  personne ,  ma  elder e,  vous  devriez  Stre 

contente ,  au  moins. 

“If you  will  excuse  me,  Mademoiselle,  I  will  go  down 
alone  ;  I  think  I  should  prefer  to  meet  Grace  without  wit¬ 
nesses,  in  the  first  interview.” 

“  Tres  volontiers .  Elle  est  parente ,  et  dest  bien  naturelB 

Eve,  on  this  expressed  approbation,  met  her  maid  at  the 
door,  as  she  came  to  announce  that  Mademoiselle  de  Cort¬ 
landt  was  in  the  library,  and  descended  slowly  to  meet  her. 
The  library  was  lighted  from  above  by  means  of  a  small 
dome,  and  Grace  had  unconsciously  placed  herself  in  the 
very  position  that  a  painter  would  have  chosen,  had  she 
been  about  to  sit  for  her  portrait.  A  strong,  full,  rich 
light  fell  obliquely  on  her,  as  Eve  entered,  displaying  her 
fine  person  and  beautiful  features  to  the  very  best  advan¬ 
tage,  and  they  were  features  and  a  person  that  are  not 
seen  every  day,  even  in  a  country  where  female  beauty  is 
so  common.  She  was  in  a  carriage  dress,  and  her  toilette 
was  rather  more  elaborate  than  Eve  had  been  accustomed 
to  see  at  that  hour,  but  still  Eve  thought  she  had  seldom 
seen  a  more  lovely  young  creature.  Some  such  thoughts 
also  passed  through  the  mind  of  Grace  herself,  who, 


4 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


though  struck,  with  a  woman’s  readiness  in  such  matters, 
with  the  severe  simplicity  of  Eve’s  attire,  as  well  as  with 
its  entire  elegance,  was  more  struck  with  the  charms  of 
her  countenance  and  figure.  There  was,  in  truth,  a  strong 
resemblance  between  them,  though  each  was  distinguished 
by  an  expression  suited  to  her  character,  and  to  the  habits 
of  her  mind. 

“  Miss  Effingham  !  ”  said  Grace,  advancing  a  step  to 
meet  the  lady  who  entered,  while  her  voice  was  scarcely 
audible  and  her  limbs  trembled. 

“Miss  Van  Cortlandt!”  said  Eve,  in  the  same  low, 

smothered  tone. 

This  formality  caused  a  chill  in  both,  and  each  uncon¬ 
sciously  stopped  and  courtesied.  Eve  had  been  so  much 
struck  with  the  coldness  of  the  American  manner  during 
the  week  she  had  been  at  home,  and  Grace  was  so  sensi¬ 
tive  on  the  subject  of  the  opinion  of  one  who  had  seen  so 
much  of  Europe,  that  there  was  great  danger,  at  that  crit¬ 
ical  moment,  the  meeting  would  terminate  unpropitiously. 

Thus  far,  however,  all  had  been  rigidly  decorous,  though 
the  strong  feelings  that  were  glowing  in  the  bosoms  of 
both  had  been  so  completely  suppressed.  But  the  smile, 
cold  and  embarrassed  as  it  was,  that  each  gave  as  she 
courtesied,  had  the  sweet  character  of  her  childhood  in  it, 
and  recalled  to  both  the  girlish  and  affectionate  intercourse 
of  their  younger  days. 

“  Grace  !’’  said  Eve,  eagerly  advancing  a  step  or  two 
impetuously,  and  blushing  like  the  dawn. 

“Eve!” 

Each  opened  her  arms,  and  in  a  moment  they  were 
locked  in  a  long  and  fervent  embrace.  This  was  the  re¬ 
commencement  of  their  former  intimacy,  and  before  night 
Grace  was  domesticated  in  her  uncle  s  house.  It  is  true 
that  Miss  Effingham  perceived  certain  peculiarities  about 
Miss  Van  Cortlandt  that  she  had  rather  were  absent ; 
and  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  would  have  felt  more  at  her  ease 
had  Miss  Effingham  a  little  less  reserve  of  manner  on  cer¬ 
tain  subjects  that  the  latter  had  been  taught  to  think  inter¬ 
dicted.  Notwithstanding  these  slight  separating  shades  in 


Iborne  as  ffounfc 


5 


character,  however,  the  natural  affection  was  warm  and  sin¬ 
cere  ;  and  if  Eve,  according  to  Grace’s  notions,  was  a  little 
stately  and  formal,  she  was  polished  and  courteous  ;  and  if 
Grace,  according  to  Eve’s  notions,  was  a  little  too  easy  and 
unreserved,  she  was  feminine  and  delicate. 

We  pass  over  the  three  or  four  days  that  succeeded, 
during  which  Eve  had  got  to  understand  something  of  her 
new  position,  and  we  will  come  at  once  to  a  conversation 
between  the  cousins,  that  will  serve  to  let  the  reader  more 
intimately  into  the  opinions,  habits,  and  feelings  of  both, 
as  well  as  to  open  the  real  subject  of  our  narrative.  This 
conversation  took  place  in  that  very  library  which  had  wit¬ 
nessed  their  first  interview,  soon  after  breakfast,  and  while 
the  young  ladies  were  still  alone. 

“  I  suppose,  Eve,  you  will  have  to  visit  the  Greens. 
They  are  Hajjis,  and  were  much  in  society  last  winter. 

“  Hajjis  !  You  surely  do  not  mean,  Grace,  that  they 
have  been  to  Mecca  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Not  at  all  :  only  to  Paris,  my  dear ;  that  makes  a  Hajji 
in  New  York.” 

‘  ‘  And  does  it  entitle  the  pilgrim  to  wear  the  green  tur¬ 
ban  ?  ”  asked  Eve,  laughing. 

“  To  wear  anything,  Miss  Effingham;  green,  blue,  or 
yellow,  and  to  cause  it  to  pass  for  elegance.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  And  which  is  the  favorite  color  with  the  family  you 
have  mentioned?  ” 

“  It  ought  to  be  the  first,  in  compliment  to  the  name, 
but,  if  truth  must  be  said,  I  think  they  betray  an  affection 
for  all,  with  not  a  few  of  the  half  tints  in  addition.” 

*  ‘  I  am  afraid  they  are  too  prononcZes  for  us,  by  this  de¬ 
scription.  I  am  no  great  admirer,  Grace,  of  walking  rain¬ 
bows.” 

“Too  Green,  you  would  have  said,  had  you  dared  ;  but 
you  are  a  Hajji  too,  and  even  the  Greens  know  that  a 
Hajji  never  puns,  unless,  indeed,  it  might  be  one  from 
Philadelphia.  But  you  will  visit  these  people  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  Certainly,  if  they  are  in  society  and  render  it  necessary 
by  their  own  civilities.” 

“  They  are  in  society,  in  virtue  of  their  rights  as  Hajjis, 


6 


Ibome  as  Jfounfc 


but  as  they  passed  three  months  at  Paris,  you  probably 
know  something  of  them.” 

‘  ‘  'phey  may  not  have  been  there  at  the  same  time  with 
ourselves,”  returned  Eve,  quietly,  “and  Paris  is  a  very 
large  town.  Hundreds  of  people  come  and  go  that  one  never 
hears  of.  I  do  not  remember  those  you  have  mentioned.” 

“I  wish  you  may  escape  them,  for,  in  my  untravelled 
judgment,  they  are  anything  but  agreeable,  notwithstand¬ 
ing  all  they  have  seen,  or  pretend  to  have  seen.” 

“  It  is  very  possible  to  have  been  all  over  Christendom, 
and  to  remain  exceedingly  disagreeable  ;  besides,  one  may 
see  a  great  deal,  yet  see  very  little  of  a  good  quality.” 

A  pause  of  two  or  three  minutes  followed,  during  which 
Eve  read  a  note,  and  her  cousin  played  with  the  leaves  of 

a  book.  i 

“  j  wish  I  knew  your  real  opinion  of  us,  Eve,  the  last 

suddenly  exclaimed.  “Why  not  be  frank  with  so  near  a 

relative  ;  tell  me  honestly,  now— are  you  reconciled  to  your 

country?” 

‘  ‘  You  are  the  eleventh  person  who  has  asked  me  this 
question,  which  I  find  very  extraordinary,  as  I  have  never 

quarrelled  with  my  country.  ’  ’ 

“  Nay,  I  do  not  mean  exactly  that.  I  wish  to  hear  how 

our  society  has  struck  one  who  has  been  educated  abroad.” 

“You  wish,  then,  for  opinions  that  can  have  no  great 
value,  since  my  experience  at  home  extends  only  to  a  fort¬ 
night.  But  you  have  many  books  on  the  country,  and 
some  written  by  very  clever  persons;  why  not  consult 

them  ?  ” 

“  Oh  !  you  mean  the  travellers.  None  of  them  are  worth 
a  second  thought,  and  we  hold  them,  one  and  all,  in  great 

contempt.” 

“  Of  that  I  can  have  no  manner  of  doubt,  as  one  and  all, 
you  are  constantly  protesting  it,  in  the  highways  and  by¬ 
ways.  There  is  no  more  certain  sign  of  contempt  than  to 

be  incessantly  dwelling  on  its  intensity  ! 

Grace  had  great  quickness,  as  well  as  her  cousin,  and 
though  provoked  at  Eve’s  quiet  hit,  she  had  the  good  sense 
and  the  good-nature  to  laugh. 


Dome  as  jfounfc 


7 


“Perhaps  we  do  protest  and  disdain  a  little  too  strenu¬ 
ously  for  good  taste,  if  not  to  gain  believers ;  but  surely, 
Eve,  you  do  not  support  these  travellers  in  all  that  they 
have  written  of  us  ?  ” 

“Not  in  half,  I  can  assure  you.  My  father  and  cousin 
Jack  have  discussed  them  too  often  in  my  presence  to 
leave  me  in  ignorance  of  the  very  many  political  blunders 
they  have  made,  in  particular.” 

“Political  blunders!  I  know  nothing  of  them,  and 
had  rather  thought  them  right  in  the  most  of  what  they  said 
about  our  politics.  But,  surely,  neither  your  father  nor 
Mr.  John  Effingham  corroborates  what  they  say  of  our 
society  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  cannot  answer  for  either,  on  that  point.” 

“  Speak,  then,  for  yourself.  Do  you  think  them  right?  ” 

“  You  should  remember,  Grace,  that  I  have  not  yet  seen 
any  society  in  New  York.” 

‘  ‘  No  society,  dear !  Why,  you  were  at  the  Hender¬ 
sons’,  and  the  Morgans’,  and  the  Drewetts’  ;  three  of  the 
greatest  reunions  that  we  have  had  in  two  winters  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  did  not  know  that  you  meant  those  unpleasant  crowds, 
by  society.” 

“Unpleasant  crowds!  Why,  child,  that  is  society,  is  it 
not  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Not  what  I  have  been  taught  to  consider  such  ;  I  rather 
think  it  would  be  better  to  call  it  company.” 

“  And  is  not  this  what  is  called  society  in  Paris  ?  ” 

“As  far  from  it  as  possible;  it  may  be  an  excrescence 
of  society  ;  one  of  its  forms  ;  but  by  no  means  society  itself. 
It  would  be  as  true  to  call  cards,  which  are  sometimes 
introduced  in  the  world,  society,  as  to  call  a  ball,  given  in 
two  small  and  crowded  rooms,  society.  They  are  merely 
two  of  the  modes  in  which  idlers  endeavor  to  vary  their 
amusements.” 

“But  we  have  little  else  than  these  balls,  the  morning 
visits,  and  an  occasional  evening  in  which  there  is  no  danc¬ 
ing.” 

“I  am  sorry  to  hear  it ;  for,  in  that  case,  you  can  have 
no  society. ?  ’ 


8 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


“  And  is  it  different  at  Paris— or  Florence— or  Rome  ?  ” 
“Very.  In  Paris  there  are  many  houses  open  every 
evening  to  which  we  can  go  with  little  ceremony.  Our 
sex  appears  in  them,  dressed  according  to  what  a  gentle¬ 
man  I  overheard  conversing  at  Mrs.  Henderson’s  would 
call  their  ‘ulterior  intentions’  for  the  night;  some  attired 
in  the  simplest  manner,  others  dressed  for  concerts,  for  the 
opera,  for  court  even  ;  some  on  the  way  from  a  dinner, 
and  others  going  to  a  late  ball.  All  this  matter-of-course 
variety  adds  to  the  ease  and  grace  of  the  company,  and 
coupled  with  perfect  good  manners,  a  certain  knowledge 
of  passing  events,  pretty  modes  of  expression,  an  accurate 
and  even  utterance,  the  women  usually  find  the  means  of 
making  themselves  agreeable.  Their  sentiment  is  some¬ 
times  a  little  heroic,  but  this  one  must  overlook,  and  it  is 
a  taste,  moreover,  that  is  falling  into  disuse,  as  people  read 

better  books.” 

“And  you  prefer  this  heartlessness,  Eve,  to  the  nature 
of  your  own  country  !  ’  ’ 

“I  do  not  know  that  quiet  retenue  and  a  good  tone  are 
a  whit  more  heartless  than  flirting,  giggling,  and  childish¬ 
ness.  There  may  be  more  nature  in  the  latter,  certainly, 
but  it  is  scarcely  as  agreeable,  after  one  has  fairly  got  rid 
of  the  nursery.” 

Grace  looked  vexed,  but  she  loved  her  cousin  too  sin¬ 
cerely  to  be  angry.  A  secret  suspicion  that  Eve  was  right, 
too,  came  in  aid  of  her  affection,  and  while  her  little  foot 
moved,  she  maintained  her  good-nature,  a  task  not  always 
attainable  for  those  who  believe  that  their  own.  superla¬ 
tives”  scarcely  reach  to  other  people’s  “positives.”  At 
this  critical  moment,  when  there  was  so  much  danger  of  a 
jar  in  the  feelings  of  these  two  young  females,  the  library 
door  opened,  and  Pierre,  Mr.  Effingham’s  own  man,  an¬ 
nounced — 

“  Monsieur  Bragg.” 

“  Monsieur  who?  ”  asked  Eve,  in  sui prise. 

“Monsieur Bragg,* *  returned  Pierre,  in  French,  “desires 

to  see  Mademoiselle.”  >} 

“  You  mean  my  father — I  know  no  such  person.’ 


ibome  as  jfounfc 


9 


“  jje  inquired  first  for  Monsieur,  but  understanding  Mon¬ 
sieur  was  out,  lie  next  asked  to  have  the  honor  of  seeing 
Mademoiselle.” 

“  Is  it  what  they  call  a  person  in  England,  Pierre  ?  ” 

Old  Pierre  smiled,  as  he  answered,— 

“  He  has  the  air,  Mademoiselle,  though  he  esteems  hinn 
self  a  personage,  if  I  might  take  the  liberty  of  judging.” 
“Ask  him  for  his  card — there  must  be  a  mistake,  I 

think.” 

While  this  short  conversation  took  place,  Grace  Van 
Cortlandt  was  sketching  a  cottage  with  a  pen,  without  at¬ 
tending  to  a  word  that  was  said.  But,  when  Eve  received 
the  card  from  Pierre  and  read  aloud,  with  the  tone  of  sur¬ 
prise  that  the  name  would  be  apt  to  excite  in  a  novice  in  the 
art  of  American  nomenclature,  the  words  Aristabulus 

Bragg,”  her  cousin  began  to  laugh. 

“Who  can  this  possibly  be,  Grace?  Did  you  ever 
hear  of  such  a  person,  and  what  right  can  he  have  to  wish 

to  see  me  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Admit  him,  by  all  means  ;  it  is  your  father’s  land  agent, 
and  he  may  wish  to  leave  some  message  for  my  uncle. 
You  will  be  obliged  to  make  his  acquaintance,  sooner  or 
later,  and  it  may  as  well  be  done  now  as  at  another  time. 

‘  ‘  You  have  shown  this  gentleman  into  the  front  drawing¬ 
room,  Pierre  ?  ” 

“  Oui,  Mademoiselle.” 

“  I  will  ring  when  you  are  wanted.” 

Pierre  withdrew,  and  Eve  opened  her  secretaire,  out  of 
which  she  took  a  small  manuscript  book,  over  the  leaves  of 

which  she  passed  her  fingers  rapidly. 

“  Here  it  is,”  she  said,  smiling,  “  ‘  Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg, 
Attorney  and  Counsellor  at  Law,  and  the  agent  of  the 
Templeton  estate.’  This  precious  little  work,  you  must 
understand,  Grace,  contains  sketches  of  the  chat  acters  of 
such  persons  as  I  shall  be  most  likely  to  see,  by  John  Effing 
ham,  A.  M.  It  is  a  sealed  volume,  of  course,  but  there 
can  be  no  harm  in  reading  the  part  that  treats  of  our  pres¬ 
ent  visitor,  and,  with  your  permission,  we  will  have  it  in 
common.  ‘  Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg  was  born  in  one  of  the 


y>-^ 


10 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


western  counties  of  Massachusetts,  and  emigrated  to  New 
York,  after  receiving  his  education,  at  the  mature  age  of 
nineteen  ;  at  twenty-one  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and 
for  the  last  seven  years  he  has  been  a  successful  practi¬ 
tioner  in  all  the  courts  of  Otsego,  from  the  justice’s  to  the 
circuit.  His  talents  are  undeniable,  as  he  commenced  his 
education  at  fourteen  and  terminated  it  at  twenty-one,  the 
law  course  included.  This  man  is  an  epitome  of  all  that 
is  good  and  all  that  is  bad,  in  a  very  large  class  of  his 
fellow-citizens.  He  is  quick-witted,  prompt  in  action,  en¬ 
terprising  in  all  things  in  which  he  has  nothing  to  lose,  but 
wary  and  cautious  in  all  things  in  which  he  has  a  real 
stake,  and  ready  to  turn  not  only  his  hand,  but  his  heart 
and  his  principles,  to  anything  that  offers  an  advantage. 
With  him,  literally,  “  Nothing  is  too  high  to  be  aspired  to, 
nothing  too  low  to  be  done.”  He  will  run  for  governor, 
or  for  town  clerk,  just  as  opportunities  occur,  is  expert  in 
all  the  practices  of  his  profession,  has  had  a  quarter’s 
dancing,  with  three  years  in  the  classics,  and  turned  his 
attention  towards  medicine  and  divinity,  before  he  finally 
settled  down  into  the  law.  Such  a  compound  of  shrewd¬ 
ness,  impudence,  common-sense,  pretension,  humility,  clev¬ 
erness,  vulgarity,  kind-heartedness,  duplicity,  selfishness, 
law-honesty,  moral  fraud,  and  mother- wit,  mixed  up  with  a 
smattering  of  learning  and  much  penetration  in  practical 
things,  can  hardly  be  described,  as  any  one  of  his  promi¬ 
nent  qualities  is  certain  to  be  met  by  another  quite  as  ob¬ 
vious  that  is  almost  its  converse.  Mr.  Bragg,  in  short,  is 
purely  a  creature  of  circumstances,  his  qualities  pointing 
him  out  for  either  a  member  of  congress,  or  a  deputy  sheriff, 
offices  that  he  is  equally  ready  to  fill.  I  have  employed 
him  to  watch  over  the  estate  of  your  father,  in  the  absence 
of  the  latter,  on  the  principle  that  one  practised  in  tricks  is 
the  best  qualified  to  detect  and  expose  them,  and  with  the 
certainty  that  no  man  will  trespass  with  impunity,  so  long 
as  the  courts  continue  to  tax  bills  of  costs  with  their  present 
liberality.’  You  appear  to  know  the  gentleman,  Grace  ;  is 
this  character  of  him  faithful  ?  ’  ’ 

'  x  know  nothing  of  bills  of  cost  and  deputy  sheriffs, 


Dome  as  jfount> 


II 


but  I  do  know  that  Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg  is  an  amusing 
mixture  of  strut,  humility,  roguery,  and  cleverness.  He 
is  waiting  all  this  time  in  the  drawing-room,  and  you  had 
better  see  him,  as  he  may  now  be  almost  considered  part 
of  the  family.  You  know  he  has  been  living  in  the  house  at 
Templeton,  ever  since  he  was  installed  by  Mr.  John  Effing¬ 
ham.  It  was  there  I  had  the  honor  first  to  meet  him.” 

‘  ‘  First !  Surely  you  have  never  seen  him  anywhere  else  ! 

“Your  pardon,  my  dear.  He  never  comes  to  town 
without  honoring  me  with  a  call.  This  is  the  price  I  pay 
for  having  had  the  honor  of  being  an  inmate  of  the  same 

house  with  him  for  a  week.” 

Eve  rang  the  bell,  and  Pierre  made  his  appearance. 

“  Desire  Mr.  Bragg  to  walk  into  the  library.” 

Grace  looked  demure  while  Pierre  was  gone  to  usher 
in  their  visitor,  and  Eve  was  thinking  of  the  medley  of 
qualities  John  Effingham  had  assembled  in  his  description, 
as  the  door  opened,  and  the  subject  of  her  contemplation 
entered. 

“  Monsieur  Aristabule,”  said  Pierre,  eyeing  the  card,  but 
sticking  at  the  first  name. 

Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg  was  advancing  with  an  easy  assur¬ 
ance,  to  make  his  bow  to  the  ladies,  when  the  more  fin¬ 
ished  air  and  quiet  dignity  of  Miss  Effingham,  who  was 
standing,  so  far  disconcerted  him,  as  completely  to  upset 
his  self-possession.  As  Grace  had  expressed  it,  in  conse¬ 
quence  of  having  lived  three  years  in  the  old  residence  at 
Templeton,  he  had  begun  to  consider  himself  a  part  of  the 
family,  and  at  home  he  never  spoke  of  the  young  lady 
without  calling  her  (<  Eve,”  or  “  Eve  Effingham.  But  he 
found  it  a  very  different  thing  to  affect  familiarity  among  his 
associates,  and  to  practise  it  in -the  very  face  of  its  subject ; 
and,  although  seldom  at  a  loss  for  words  of  some  sort  or 
another,  he  was  now  actually  dumfounded.  Eve  relieved 
his  awkwardness  by  directing  Pierre,  with  her  eye,  to  hand 
a  chair,  and  first  speaking. 

“  I  regret  that  my  father  is  not  in,”  she  said,  by  way  of 
turning  the  visit  from  herself;  “but  he  is  to  be  expected 
every  moment.  Are  you  lately  from  Templeton  ? 


12 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


Aristabulus  drew  his  breath,  and  recovered  enough  of  his 
ordinary  tone  of  manner  to  reply  with  a  decent  regard  to  his 
character  for  self-command.  The  intimacy  that  he  had  in¬ 
tended  to  establish  on  the  spot,  was  temporarily  defeated,  it 
is  true,  and  without  his  exactly  knowing  how  it  had  been 
effected  ;  for  it  was  merely  the  steadiness  of  the  young  lady, 
blended  as  it  was  with  a  polished  reserve,  that  had  thrown 
him  to  a  distance  he  could  not  explain.  He  felt  immediately, 
and  with  taste  that  did  his  sagacity  credit,  that  his  footing 
in  this  quarter  was  only  to  be  obtained  by  unusually  slow 
and  cautious  means.  Still  Mr.  Bragg  was  a  man  of  great 
decision,  and,  in  his  way,  of  very  far-sighted  views ;  and 
singular  as  it  may  seem,  at  that  unpropitious  moment,  he 
mentally  determined  that,  at  no  very  distant  day,  he  would 

make  Miss  Eve  Effingham  his  wife. 

“I  hope  Mr.  Effingham  enjoys  good  health,”  he  said, 
with  some  such  caution  as  a  rebuked  school-girl  enters  on 
the  recitation  of  her  task  ;  “  he  enjoyed  bad  health  I  hear  ” 
(Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg,  though  so  shrewd,  was  far  from 
critical  in  his  modes  of  speech)  “when  he  went  to  Europe, 
and  after  travelling  so  far  in  such  bad  company,  it  would 
be  no  more  than  fair  that  he  should  have  a  little  respite  as 

he  approaches  home  and  old  age.” 

Had  Eve  been  told  that  the  man  who  uttered  this  nice 
sentiment,  and  that  too  in  accents  as  uncouth  and  provincial 
as  the  thought  was  finished  and  lucid,  actually  presumed  to 
think  of  her  as  his  bosom  companion,  it  is  not  easy  to  say 
which  would  have  predominated  in  her  mind,  mirth  or  re 
sentment.  But  Mr.  Bragg  was  not  in  the  habit  of  letting 
his  secrets  escape  him  prematurely,  and  certainly  this  was 
one  that  none  but  a  wizard  could  have  discovered  without 
the  aid  of  a  direct  oral  or  written  communication. 

“Are  you  lately  from  Templeton?”  repeated  Eve,  a 
little  surprised  that  the  gentleman  did  not  see  fit  to  answer 
the  question,  which  was  the  only  one  that,  as  it  seemed  to 
her,  could  have  common  interest  with  them  both. 

“  I  left  home  the  day  before  yesterday,”  Aristabulus  now 

deigned  to  reply. 

“It  is  so  long  since  I  saw  our  beautiful  mountains,  and 


t)ome  as  ffounfc 


13 


I  was  then  so  young,  that  I  feel  a  great  impatience  to  re¬ 
visit  them,  though  the  pleasure  must  be  deferred  until 
spring.” 

“  I  conclude  they  are  the  handsomest  mountains  in  the 
known  world,  Miss  Effingham  !  ’  ’ 

“That  is  much  more  than  I  shall  venture  to  claim  for 
them  ;  but,  according  to  my  imperfect  recollection,  and, 
what  I  esteem  of  far  more  importance,  according  to  the 
united  testimony  of  Mr.  John  Effingham  and  my  father,  I 
think  they  must  be  very  beautiful.” 

Aristabulus  looked  up,  as  if  he  had  a  facetious  thing  to  say, 
and  he  even  ventured  on  a  smile,  while  he  made  his  answer. 

“I  hope  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  prepared  you  for  a 
great  change  in  the  house  ?  ’  ’ 

“  We  know  that  it  has  been  repaired  and  altered  under  his 
directions.  That  was  done  at  my  father’s  request.” 

“We  consider  it  denationalized,  Miss  Effingham,  there 
being  nothing  like  it,  west  of  Albany  at  least.” 

“  I  should  be  sorry  to  find  that  my  cousin  had  subjected 
us  to  this  imputation,”  said  Eve,  smiling — perhaps  a  little 
equivocally  ;  ‘  ‘  the  architecture  of  America  being  generally 
so  simple  and  pure.  Mr.  Effingham  laughs  at  his  own 
improvements,  however,  in  which,  he  says,  he  has  only  car¬ 
ried  out  the  plans  of  the  original  artiste ,  who  worked  very 
much  in  what  was  called  the  composite  order.” 

“  You  allude  to  Mr.  Hiram  Doolittle,  a  gentleman  I  never 
saw  ;  though  I  hear  that  he  has  left  behind  him  many  traces 
of  his  progress  in  the  newer  States.  Ex  pede  Herculem ,  as 
we  say  in  the  classics,  Miss  Effingham.  I  believe  it  is  the 
general  sentiment  that  Mr.  Doolittle’s  designs  have  been 
improved  on,  though  most  people  think  that  the  Grecian  or 
Roman  architecture,  which  is  so  much  in  use  in  America, 
would  be  more  republican.  But  everybody  knows  that  Mr. 
John  Effingham  is  not  much  of  a  republican.” 

Eve  did  not  choose  to  discuss  her  kinsman’s  opinions  with 
Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg,  and  she  quietly  remarked  that  she 
‘  ‘  did  not  know  that  the  imitations  of  the  ancient  architec¬ 
ture,  of  which  there  are  so  many  in  the  country,  were  owing 
to  attachment  to  republicanism.  ’  ’ 


14 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


“To  what  else  can  it  be  owing,  Miss  Eve?  ” 

“  Sure  enough,”  said  Grace  Van  Cortlandt  ;  it  is  un¬ 
suited  to  the  materials,  the  climate,  and  the  uses  ;  and  some 
very  powerful  motive,  like  that  mentioned  by  Mr.  Bragg, 
could  alone  overcome  these  obstacles.” 

Aristabulus  started  from  his  seat,  and  making  sundry 
apologies,  declared  his  previous  unconsciousness  that  Miss 
Van  Cortlandt  was  present ;  all  of  which  was  true  enough, 
as  he  had  been  so  much  occupied  mentally  with  her  cousin 
as  not  to  have  observed  her,  seated  as  she  was  partly  behind 
a  screen.  Grace  received  the  excuses  favorably,  and  the 
conversation  was  resumed. 

“  I  am  sorry  that  my  cousin  should  offend  the  taste  of 
the  country,”  said  Eve,  “but  as  we  are  to  live  in  the  house, 
the  punishment  will  fall  heaviest  on  the  offenders. 

“Do  not  mistake  me,  Miss  Eve,”  returned  Aristabulus 
in  a  little  alarm,  for  he  too  well  understood  the  influence 
and  wealth  of  John  Effingham,  not  to  wish  to  be  on  good 
terms  with  him,  “  do  not  mistake  me.  I  admire  the  house, 
and  know  it  to  be  a  perfect  specimen  of  a  pure  architecture 
in  its  way,  but  then  public  opinion  is  not  yet  quite  up  to  it.  1 
see  all  its  beauties,  I  would  wish  you  to  know,  but  then  there 
are  many,  a  majority  perhaps,  who  do  not,  and  these  pep 
sons  think  they  ought  to  be  consulted  about  such  matters. 

“I  believe  Mr.  John  Effingham  thinks  less  of  his  own 
work  than  you  seem  to  think  of  it  yourself,  sir,  for  I  have 
frequently  heard  him  laugh  at  it  as  a  mere  enlargement  of 
the  merits  of  the  composite  order.  He  calls  it  a  caprice 
rather  than  a  taste  :  nor  do  I  see  what  concern  a  majon  y, 
as  you  term  them,  can  have  with  a  house  that  does  not 

belong  to  them.”  , 

Aristabulus  was  surprised  that  any  one  could  disregart 
a  majority  ;  for  in  this  respect  he  a  good  deal  resend)  e 
Mr.  Dodge,  though  running  a  different  career  ;  and  e  oo 

of  surprise  he  gave  was  natural  and  open. 

•«  I  do  not  mean  that  the  public  has  a  legal  nght  to  con¬ 
trol  the  tastes  of  the  citizen,”  he  said,  “  but t  in  a  republi¬ 
can  government,  you  undoubtedly  understand,  Miss  Eve,  it 
will  rule  in  all  things.” 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


is 


‘  ‘  I  can  understand  that  one  would  wish  to  see  his  neigh¬ 
bor  use  good  taste,  as  it  helps  to  embellish  a  country  ;  but 
the  man  who  should  consult  the  whole  neighborhood  before 
he  built  would  be  very  apt  to  cause  a  complicated  house  to 
be  erected,  if  he  paid  much  respect  to  the  different  opinions 
he  received  ;  or,  what  is  quite  as  likely,  apt  to  have  no  house7 
at  all.” 

“  I  think  you  are  mistaken,  Miss  Effingham,  for  the  public 
sentiment  just  now  runs  almost  exclusively  and  popularly 
into  the  Grecian  school.  We  build  little  besides  temples  for 
our  churches,  our  banks,  our  taverns,  our  court-houses,  and 
our  dwellings.  A  friend  of  mine  has  just  built  a  brewery 
on  the  model  of  the  Temple  of  the  Winds.” 

“  Had  it  been  a  mill,  one  might  understand  the  conceit,” 
said  Eve,  who  now  began  to  perceive  that  her  visitor  had 
some  latent  humor,  though  he  produced  it  in  a  manner  to 
induce  one  to  think  him  anything  but  a  droll.  “  The 
mountains  must  be  doubly  beautiful  if  they  are  decorated 
in  the  way  you  mention.  I  sincerely  hope,  Grace,  that  I 
shall  find  the  hills  as  pleasant  as  they  now  exist  in  my 
recollection.” 

‘  ‘  Should  they  not  prove  to  be  quite  as  lovely  as  you 
imagine,  Miss  Effingham,”  returned  Aristabulus,  who  saw 
no  impropriety  in  answering  a  remark  made  to  Miss  Van 
Cortlandt,  or  any  one  else,  “I  hope  you  will  have  the 
kindness  to  conceal  the  fact  from  the  world.” 

‘  ‘  I  am  afraid  that  would  exceed  my  power — the  disap¬ 
pointment  would  be  so  strong.  May  I  ask  why  you  show 
so  much  interest  in  my  keeping  so  cruel  a  mortification  to 
myself?” 

“Why,  Miss  Eve,”  said  Aristabulus,  looking  grave,  “I 
am  afraid  that  our  people  would  hardly  bear  the  expression/ 
of  such  an  opinion  from  you.” 

“  From  me  ! — and  why  not  from  me,  in  particular?  ” 

“  Perhaps  it  is  because  they  think  you  have  travelled,  and 
have  seen  other  countries.” 

“  And  is  it  only  those  who  have  not  travelled,  and  who 
have  no  means  of  knowing  the  value  of  what  they  say,  that 
are  privileged  to  criticise  ?  ’  ’ 


1 6 


Ibome  as  jf ounb 


“I  cannot  exactly  explain  my  own  meaning,  perhaps, 
but  I  think  Miss  Grace  will  understand  me.  Do  you  not 
agree  with  me,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  in  thinking  it  would 
be  safer  for  one  who  never  saw  any  other  mountains,  to 
complain  of  the  tameness  and  monotony  of  our  own,  than 
for  one  who  had  passed  a  whole  life  among  the  Andes  and 
the  Alps?” 

Eve  smiled,  for  she  saw  that  Mr.  Bragg  was  capable  of 
detecting  and  laughing  at  provincial  pride,  even  while  he 
was  so  much  under  its  influence  ;  and  Grace  colored,  for 
she  had  the  consciousness  of  having  already  betrayed  some 
of  this  very  silly  sensitiveness  in  her  intercourse  with  her 
cousin,  in  connection  with  other  subjects.  A  reply  was  un¬ 
necessary,  however,  as  the  door  just  then  opened,  and  John 
Effingham  made  his  appearance.  The  meeting  between  the 
two  gentlemen,  for  we  suppose  Aristabulus  must  be  included 
in  the  category,  by  courtesy,  if  not  of  right,  was  more 
cordial  than  Eve  had  expected  to  witness,  for  each  really 
entertained  a  respect  for  the  other,  in  reference  to  a  merit 
of  a  particular  sort ;  Mr.  Bragg  esteeming  Mr.  John  Effing¬ 
ham  as  a  wealthy  and  caustic  cynic,  and  Mr.  John  Effing¬ 
ham  regarding  Mr.  Bragg  much  as  the  owner  of  a  dwelling 
regards  a  valuable  house-dog.  After  a  few  moments  of 
conversation  the  two  withdrew  together  ;  and  just  as  the 
ladies  were  about  to  descend  to  the  drawing-room,  previously 
to  dinner,  Pierre  announced  that  a  plate  had  been  ordered  for 

the  land  agent. 


CHAPTER  II. 

“  I  know  that  Deformed  ;  he  has  been  a  vile  thief  this  seven  years  ; 
he  goes  up  and  down  like  a  gentleman.’’ 

Much  Ado  About  Nothing. 

E"'  VE  and  her  cousin  found  Sir  George  Templemore 
^  and  Captain  Truck  in  the  drawing-room,  the 
former  having  lingered  in  New  York,  with  a  de¬ 
sire  to  be  near  his  friends,  and  the  latter  being  on 
the  point  of  sailing  for  Europe,  in  his  regular  turn.  To 
these  must  be  added  Mr.  Bragg  and  the  ordinary  inmates  of 
the  house,  when  the  reader  will  get  a  view  of  the  whole 
party. 

Aristabulus  had  never  before  sat  down  to  as  brilliant  a 
table,  and  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  saw  candles 
lighted  at  a  dinner  ;  but  he  was  not  a  man  to  be  discon¬ 
certed  at  a  novelty.  Had  he  been  a  European  of  the  same 
origin  and  habits,  awkwardness  would  have  betrayed  him 
fifty  times  before  the  dessert  made  its  appearance ;  but  be¬ 
ing  the  man  he  was,  one  who  overlooked  a  certain  pruri¬ 
ent  politeness  that  rather  illustrated  his  deportment,  might 
very  well  have  permitted  him  to  pass  among  the  oi  polloi 
of  the  world,  were  it  not  for  a  peculiar  management  in  the 
way  of  providing  for  himself.  It  is  true,  he  asked  every  / 
one  near  him  to  eat  of  everything  he  could  himself  reach, 
and  that  he  used  his  knife  as  a  coal-heaver  uses  his  shovel  ;  i 
but  the  company  he  was  in,  though  fastidious  in  its  own 
deportment,  was  altogether  above  the  silver-forkisms,  and 1 
this  portion  of  his  demeanor,  if  it  did  not  escape  unde¬ 
tected,  passed  away  unnoticed.  Not  so,  however,  with  the 
peculiarity  already  mentioned  as  an  exception.  This  touch 


1 borne  as  ffounb 


18 

of  deportment  (or  management,  perhaps,  is  the  better  word) 
being  characteristic  of  the  man,  it  deserves  to  be  mentioned 
a  little  in  detail. 

The  service  at  Mr.  Effingham’s  table  was  made  in  the 
quiet  but  thorough  manner  that  distinguishes  a  French 
dinner.  Every  dish  was  removed,  carved  by  the  domestics, 
and  handed  in  turn  to  each  guest.  But  there  were  a  delay 
and  a  finish  in  this  arrangement  that  suited  neither  Aris- 
tabulus’  go-ahead-ism,  nor  his  organ  of  acquisitiveness.  In¬ 
stead  of  waiting,  therefore,  for  the  more  graduated  move¬ 
ments  of  the  domestics,  he  began  to  take  care  of  himself,  an 
office  that  he  performed  with  a  certain  dexterity  that  he  had 
acquired  by  frequenting  ordinaries — a  school,  by  the  way, 
in  which  he  had  obtained  most  of  his  notions  of  the  pro- 
;  prieties  of  the  table.  One  or  two  slices  were  obtained  in 
the  usual  manner,  or  by  means  of  the  regular  service  ; 
and  then,  like  one  who  had  laid  the  foundation  of  a  fortune 
by  some  lucky  windfall  in  the  commencement  of  his  career, 
he  began  to  make  accessions,  right  and  left,  as  opportunity 
offered.  Sundry  entremets ,  or  light  dishes  that  had  a  pecu¬ 
liarly  tempting  appearance,  came  first  under  his  grasp.  Of 
these  he  soon  accumulated  all  within  his  reach,  by  taxing 
his  neighbors,  when  he  ventured  to  send  his  plate  here  and 
there,  or  wherever  he  saw  a  dish  that  promised  to  reward 
his  trouble.  By  such  means,  which  were  resorted  to,  how¬ 
ever,  with  a  quiet  and  unobtrusive  assiduity  that  escaped 
much  observation,  Mr.  Bragg  contrived  to  make  his  own  plate 
a  sample  epitome  of  the  first  course.  It  contained  in  the 
centre,  fish,  beef,  and  ham  ;  and  around  these  staple  articles 
he  had  arranged  croquettes,  rognons,  ragouts,  vegetables, 
and  other  light  things,  until  not  only  was  the  plate  com¬ 
pletely  covered,  but  it  was  actually  covered  in  double  and 
triple  layers  ;  mustard,  cold  butter,  salt,  and  even  pepper 
garnishing  its  edges.  These  different  accumulations  were 
the  work  of  time  and  address,  and  most  of  the  company  had 
repeatedly  changed  their  plates  before  Aristabulus  had  eaten 
a  mouthful,  the  soup  excepted.  The  happy  moment  when 
his  ingenuity  was  to  be  rewarded  had  now  arrived,  and  the 
land  agent  was  about  to  commence  the  process  of  mastica- 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


19 


tion,  or  of  deglutition  rather,  for  he  troubled  himself  very 
little  with  the  first  operation,  when  the  report  of  a  cork  drew 
his  attention  towards  the  champagne.  To  Aristabulus  this 
wine  never  came  amiss,  for,  relishing  its  piquancy,  he  had 
never  gone  far  enough  into  the  science  of  the  table  to  learn 
which  were  the  proper  moments  for  using  it.  As  respected 
all  the  others  at  table,  this  moment  had  in  truth  arrived, 
though,  as  respected  himself,  he  was  no  nearer  to  it,  ac¬ 
cording  to  a  regulated  taste,  than  when  he  first  took  his 
seat.  Perceiving  that  Pierre  was  serving  it,  however,  he 
offered  his  own  glass,  and  enjoyed  a  delicious  instant  as  he 
swallowed  a  beverage  that  much  surpassed  anything  he  had 
ever  known  to  issue  out  of  the  waxed  and  leaded  nozzles 
that,  pointed  like  so  many  enemies’  batteries  loaded  with 
headaches  and  disordered  stomachs,  garnished  sundry  vil¬ 
lage  bars  of  his  acquaintance. 

Aristabulus  finished  his  glass  at  a  draught,  and  when  he 
took  breath  he  fairly  smacked  his  lips.  That  was  an  un¬ 
lucky  instant ;  his  plate,  burdened  with  all  its  treasures, 
being  removed  at  this  unguarded  moment ;  the  man  who 
performed  this  unkind  office  fancying  that  a  dislike  to  the 
dishes  could  alone  have  given  rise  to  such  an  omnium- 
gatherum. 

It  was  necessary  to  commence  de  novo ,  but  this  could  no 
longer  be  done  with  the  first  course,  which  was  removed, 
and  Aristabulus  set  to  with  zeal  forthwith  on  the  game. 
Necessity  compelled  him  to  eat,  as  the  different  dishes  were 
offered  ;  and  such  was  his  ordinary  assiduity  with  the  knife 
and  fork,  that,  at  the  end  of  the  second  remove,  he  had 
actually  disposed  of  more  food  than  any  other  person  at 
table.  He  now  began  to  converse,  and  we  shall  open  the 
conversation  at  the  precise  point  in  the  dinner  when  it  was 
in  the  power  of  Aristabulus  to  make  one  of  the  interlocu¬ 
tors. 

Unlike  Mr.  Dodge,  he  had  betrayed  no  peculiar  interest  in 
the  baronet,  being  a  man  too  shrewd  and  worldly  to  set  his 
heart  on  trifles  of  any  sort ;  and  Mr.  Bragg  no  more  hesi¬ 
tated  about  replying  to  Sir  George  Templemore  or  Mr.  Ef¬ 
fingham,  than  he  would  have  hesitated  about  answering  one 


to 


Ibome  as  JFounfc 


of  his  own  nearest  associates.  With  him  age  and  experi¬ 
ence  formed  no  particular  claims  to  be  heard,  and,  as  to  rank, 
it  is  true  he  had  some  vague  ideas  about  there  being  such  a 
thing  in  the  militia,  but  as  it  was  unsalaried  rank,  he  at¬ 
tached  no  great  importance  to  it.  Sir  George  Templemore 
was  inquiring  concerning  the  recording  of  deeds,  a  regula¬ 
tion  that  had  recently  attracted  attention  in  England ;  and 
one  of  Mr.  Effingham’s  replies  contained  some  immaterial 
inaccuracy,  which  Aristabulus  took  occasion  to  correct,  as 
his  first  appearance  in  the  general  discourse. 

“I  ask  pardon,  sir,”  he  concluded  his  explanations  by 
saying,  ‘  ‘  but  I  ought  to  know  these  little  niceties,  having 
served  a  short  part  of  a  term  as  a  county  clerk,  to  fill  a 

vacancy  occasioned  by  a  death. 

“You  mean,  Mr.  Bragg,  that  you  were  employed  to 

write  in  a  county  clerk’s  office,”  observed  John  Effingham, 
who  so  much  disliked  untruth,  that  he  did  not  hesitate 
much  about  refuting  it,  or  what  he  now  fancied  to  be  an 

untruth. 

“  As  county  clerk,  sir.  Major  Pippin  died  a  year  before 
his  time  was  out,  and  I  got  the  appointment.  As  regular 
a  county  clerk,  sir,  as  there  is  in  the  fifty-six  counties  of 

New  York.” 

“When  I  had  the  honor  to  engage  you  as  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham’s  agent,  sir,”  returned  the  other,  a  little  sternly,  for  he 
felt  his  own  character  for  veracity  involved  in  that  of  the 
subject  of  his  selection,  “  I  believed,  indeed,  that  you  were 
writing  in  the  office,  but  I  did  not  understand  it  was  as 

the  clerk.”  . 

“Very  true,  Mr.  John,”  returned  Aristabulus,  without 

discovering  the  least  concern,  “  I  was  then  engaged  by  my 
successor  as  a  clerk ;  but  a  few  months  earlier,  I  filled  the 

office  myself.  ’  ’ 

“  Had  you  gone  on,  in  the  regular  line  of  promotion,  my 
dear  sir,”  pithily  inquired  Captain  Truck,  “  to  what  pre¬ 
ferment  would  you  have  risen  by  this  time  ? 

“I  believe  I  understand  you,  gentlemen,”  returned  the 
unmoved  Aristabulus,  who  perceived  a  general  smile.  ‘  ‘  I 
know  that  some  people  are  particular  about  keeping  pretty 


■fcome  as  fount* 


SI 


much  on  the  same  level,  as  to  office  :  but  I  hold  to  no  such 
doctrine.  If  one  good  thing  cannot  be  had,  I  do  not  see 
that  it  is  a  reason  for  rejecting  another.  I  ran  that  year  foi 
sheriff,  and  finding  I  was  not  strong  enough  to  carry  the 
county,  I  accepted  my  successor’s  offer  to  write  in  the  office, 
until  something  better  might  turn  up.” 

‘‘You  practised  all  this  time,  I  believe,  Mr.  Bragg?” 
observed  John  Effingham. 

‘‘I  did  a  little  in  that  way,  too,  sir;  or  as  much  as  I 
could.  L,aw  is  flat  with  us  of  late,  and  many  of  the  attor¬ 
neys  are  turning  their  attention  to  other  callings.  ’  ’ 

‘‘And  pray,  sir,”  asked  Sir  George,  “  what  is  the  favor¬ 
ite  pursuit  with  most  of  them  just  now?  ” 

‘  ‘  Some,  our  way,  have  gone  into  the  horse  line ;  but 
much  the  greater  portion  are  just  now  dealing  in  Western 
cities.” 

“  In  Western  cities  !  ”  exclaimed  the  baronet,  looking  as 
if  he  distrusted  a  mystification. 

‘  ‘  In  such  articles,  and  in  mill-seats,  and  railroad  lines, 
and  other  expectations.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Mr.  Bragg  means  that  they  are  buying  and  selling 
lands  on  which  it  is  hoped  all  these  conveniences  may 
exist,  a  century  hence,”  explained  John  Effingham. 

‘‘The  hope  is  for  next  year,  or  next  week  even,  Mr. 
John,”  returned  Aristabulus  with  a  sly  look,  “  though  you 
may  be  very  right  as  to  the  reality.  Great  fortunes  have 
been  made  on  a  capital  of  hopes,  lately,  in  this  country.” 

‘  ‘  And  have  you  been  able  yourself  to  resist  these  temp¬ 
tations?”  asked  Mr.  Effingham.  ‘‘I  feel  doubly  indebted 
to  you,  sir,  that  you  should  have  continued  to  devote  your 
time  to  my  interests,  while  so  many  better  things  were 
offering.” 

“  It  was  my  duty,  sir,”  said  Aristabulus,  bowing  so  much 
the  lower,  from  the  consciousness  that  he  had  actually  de¬ 
serted  his  post  for  some  months,  to  embark  in  the  Western 
speculations  that  were  then  so  active  in  the  country,  “not 
to  say  my  pleasure.  There  are  many  profitable  occupations 
in  this  country,  Sir  George,  that  have  been  overlooked  in 
the  eagerness  to  embark  in  the  town-trade — ” 


22 


Iborne  as  ffounfc 


“Mr.  Bragg  does  not  mean  trade  in  town,  but  trade  in 
towns,”  explained  John  Effingham. 

“Yes,  sir,  the  traffic  in  cities.  I  never  come  this  way 
without  casting  an  eye  about  me,  in  order  to  see  if  there  is 
anything  to  be  done  that  is  useful  ;  and  I  confess  that  sev¬ 
eral  available  opportunities  have  offered,  if  one  had  capital. 
Milk  is  a  good  business.” 

“  Le  lait  /”  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  involun¬ 
tarily. 

“Yes,  ma’am,  for  ladies  as  well  as  gentlemen.  Sweet 
potatoes  I  have  heard  well  spoken  of,  and  peaches  are 
really  making  some  rich  men’s  fortunes.” 

“All  of  which  are  honester  and  better  occupations  than 
the  traffic  in  cities,  that  you  have  mentioned,”  quietly 
observed  Mr.  Effingham. 

Aristabulus  looked  up  in  a  little  surprise,  for  with  him 
everything  was  eligible  that  returned  a  good  profit,  and  all 
things  honest  that  the  law  did  not  actually  punish.  Per¬ 
ceiving,  however,  that  the  company  was  disposed  to  listen, 
and  having  by  this  time  recovered  the  lost  ground,  in  the 
way  of  food,  he  cheerfully  resumed  his  theme. 

“  Many  families  have  left  Otsego,  this  and  the  last  sum¬ 
mer,  Mr.  Effingham,  as  emigrants  for  the  West.  The  fever 
has  spread  far  and  wide.” 

“  The  fever  !  Is  old  Otsego,”  for  so  its  inhabitants  loved 
to  call  a  county  of  half  a  century’s  existence,  it  being  ven¬ 
erable  by  comparison,  “is  old  Otsego  losing  its  well-estab¬ 
lished  character  for  salubrity  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  do  not  allude  to  an  animal  fever,  but  to  the  Western 

fever.” 

“  Ce  pays  de  I'ouest,  est-il  bien  malsain  ?”  whispered 
Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

“  Ap par eminent.  Mademoiselle ,  sur  plusieurs  rapports .” 

“The  Western  fever  has  seized  old  and  young,  and  it  has 
carried  off  many  active  families  from  our  part  of  the  world,” 
continued  Aristabulus,  who  did  not  understand  the  little 
aside  just  mentioned,  and  who,  of  course,  did  not  heed  it ; 
“most  of  the  counties  adjoining  our  own  have  lost  a  con¬ 
siderable  portion  of  their  population.” 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


23 


“And  they  who  have  gone,  do  they  belong  to  the  per¬ 
manent  families,  or  are  they  merely  the  floating  inhabi¬ 
tants?”  inquired  Mr.  Effingham. 

Most  of  them  belong  to  the  regular  movers.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Movers  !  ’  ’  again  exclaimed  Sir  George  ;  “is  there  any 
material  part  of  your  population  who  actually  deserve  this 
name  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  As  much  so  as  the  man  who  shoes  a  horse  ought  to  be 
called  a  smith,  or  a  man  who  frames  a  house  a  carpenter,” 
answered  John  Effingham. 

“To  be  sure,”  continued  Mr.  Bragg,  “we  have  a  pretty 
considerable  leaven  of  them  in  our  political  dough,  as  well 
as  in  our  active  business.  I  believe,  Sir  George,  that  in 
England  men  are  tolerably  stationary.” 

“We  love  to  continue  for  generations  on  the  same  spot. 
We  love  the  tree  that  our  forefathers  planted,  the  roof  that 
they  built,  the  fireside  by  which  they  sat,  the  sods  that 
cover  their  remains.” 

“Very  poetical,  and  I  dare  say  there  are  situations  in 
life  in  which  such  feelings  come  in  without  much  effort. 
It  must  be  a  great  check  to  business  operations,  however, 
in  your  part  of  the  world,  sir  !  ” 

“Business  operations  !  what  is  business,  as  you  term  it, 
sir,  to  the  affections,  to  the  recollections  of  ancestry,  and 
to  the  solemn  feelings  connected  with  history  and  tra¬ 
dition  ?  ” 

“Why,  sir,  in  the  way  of  history,  one  meets  with  but 
few  incumbrances  in  this  country,  but  he  may  do  very 
much  as  interest  dictates,  so  far  as  that  is  concerned,  at 
least.  A  nation  is  much  to  be  pitied  that  is  weighed  down 
by  the  past,  in  this  manner,  since  its  industry  and  enter¬ 
prise  are  constantly  impeded  by  obstacles  that  grow  out  of 
its  recollections.  America  may,  indeed,  be  termed  a  happy 
and  a  free  country,  Mr  John  Effingham,  in  this,  as  well  as 
in  all  other  things  !  ’  ’ 

Sir  George  Templemore  was  too  well-bred  to  utter  all 
he  felt  at  that  moment,  as  it  would  unavoidably  wound  the 
feelings  of  his  hosts,  but  he  was  rewarded  for  his  forbear¬ 
ance  by  intelligent  smiles  from  Eve  and  Grace,  the  latter 


24 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


of  whom  the  young  baronet  fancied,  just  at  that  moment, 
was  quite  as  beautiful  as  her  cousin,  and  if  less  finished  in 
manners,  she  had  the  most  interesting  naivete. 

“  I  have  been  told  that  most  old  nations  have  to  strug¬ 
gle  with  difficulties  that  we  escape,”  returned  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  ‘‘though  I  confess  this  is  a  superiority  on  our  part 
that  never  before  presented  itself  to  my  mind.” 

“  The  political  economists,  and  even  the  geographers, 
have  overlooked  it,  but  practical  men  see  and  feel  its  ad¬ 
vantages  every  hour  in  the  day.  I  have  been  told,  Sir 
George  Templemore,  that  in  England,  there  are  difficulties 
in  running  highways  and  streets  through  homesteads  and 
dwellings  ;  and  that  even  a  railroad  or  a  canal  is  obliged  to 
make  a  curve  to  avoid  a  churchyard  or  a  tombstone  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  confess  to  the  sin,  sir.” 

“  Our  friend  Mr.  Bragg,”  put  in  John  Effingham,  “con¬ 
siders  life  as  all  means  and  no  end.” 

“An  end  cannot  be  got  at  without  the  means,  Mr.  John 
Effingham,  as  I  trust  you  will  yourself  admit.  I  am  for 
1  the  end  of  the  road  at  least,  and  must  say  that  I  rejoice 
in  being  a  native  of  a  country  in  which  as  few  impediments 
as  possible  exist  to  onward  impulses.  The  man  who  should 
I  resist  an  improvement  in  our  part  of  the  country,  on  account 
of  his  forefathers,  would  fare  badly  among  his  contempo¬ 
raries.” 

“Will  you  permit  me  to  ask,  Mr.  Bragg,  if  you  feel  no 
local  attachments  yourself,”  inquired  the  baronet,  throw¬ 
ing  as  much  delicacy  into  the  tones  of  his  voice,  as  a  ques¬ 
tion  that  he  felt  ought  to  be  an  insult  to  a  man’s  heart 
would  allow,  “  if  one  tree  is  not  more  pleasant  than  an¬ 
other  ;  the  house  you  were  born  in  more  beautiful  than  a 
house  into  which  you  never  entered  ;  or  the  altar  at  which 
you  have  long  worshipped,  more  sacred  than  another  at 
which  you  never  knelt  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Nothing  gives  me  greater  satisfaction  than  to  answer 
the  questions  of  gentlemen  that  travel  through  our  coun¬ 
try,”  returned  Aristabulus,  “  for  I  think,  in  making  nations 
acquainted  with  each  other,  we  encourage  trade  and  ren¬ 
der  business  more  secure.  To  reply  to  your  inquiry,  a 


Ifrome  as  ffounfc 


25 


human  being  is  not  a  cat,  to  love  a  locality  rather  than  its 
own  interests.  I  have  found  some  trees  much  pleasanter 
than  others,  and  the  pleasantest  tree  I  can  remember  was 
one  of  my  own,  out  of  which  the  sawyers  made  a  thousand 
feet  of  clear  stuff,  to  say  nothing  of  middlings.  The  house 
I  was  born  in  was  pulled  down  shortly  after  my  birth,  as 
indeed  has  been  its  successor,  so  I  can  tell  you  nothing  on  that 
head  ;  and  as  for  altars,  there  are  none  in  my  persuasion.” 

“The  church  of  Mr.  Bragg  has  stripped  itself  as  naked 
as  he  would  strip  everything  else,  if  he  could,”  said  John 
Effingham.  “I  much  question  if  he  ever  knelt  even; 
much  less  before  an  altar.” 

“We  are  of  the  standing  order,  certainly,”  returned 
Aristabulus,  glancing  towards  the  ladies  to  discover  how 
they  took  his  wit,  “and  Mr.  John  Effingham  is  as  near 
right  as  a  man  need  be,  in  a  matter  of  faith.  In  the  way 
of  houses,  Mr.  Effingham,  I  believe  it  is  the  general  opin¬ 
ion  you  might  have  done  better  with  your  own,  than  to 
have  repaired  it.  Had  the  materials  been  disposed  of,  they 
would  have  sold  well,  and  by  running  a  street  through  the 
property,  a  pretty  sum  might  have  been  realized.” 

“  In  which  case  I  should  have  been  without  a  home,  Mr. 
Bragg.” 

“  It  would  have  been  no  great  matter  to  get  another  on 
cheaper  land.  The  old  residence  would  have  made  a  good 
factory,  or  an  inn.” 

‘  ‘  Sir,  I  am  a  cat,  and  like  the  places  I  have  long  fre¬ 
quented.” 

Aristabulus,  though  not  easily  daunted,  was  awed  by 
Mr.  Effingham's  manner,  and  Eve  saw  that  her  father’s 
fine  face  had  flushed.  This  interruption,  therefore,  sud¬ 
denly  changed  the  discourse,  which  has  been  related  at 
some  length,  as  likely  to  give  the  reader  a  better  insight 
into  a  character  that  will  fill  some  space  in  our  narrative, 
than  a  more  labored  description. 

“  I  trust  your  owners,  Captain  Truck,”  said  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  by  way  of  turning  the  conversation  into  another 
channel,  “  are  fully  satisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  you 
saved  their  property  from  the  hands  of  the  Arabs  ?  ’ ? 


26 


Ibotne  as  jfounfc 


“  Men,  when  money  is  concerned,  are  more  disposed  to 
remember  how  it  was  lost  than  how  it  was  recovered, 
religion  and  trade  being  the  two  poles,  on  such  a  point,” 
returned  the  old  seaman,  with  a  serious  face.  “On  the 
whole,  my  dear  sir,  I  have  reason  to  be  satisfied,  however ; 
and  so  long  as  you,  my  passengers  and  my  friends,  are  not 
inclined  to  blame  me,  I  shall  feel  as  if  I  had  done  at  least  a 
part  of  my  duty.  ’  ’ 

Eve  rose  from  the  table,  went  to  a  sideboard,  and  re¬ 
turned,  when  she  gracefully  placed  before  the  master  of  the 
Montauk  a  rich  and  beautifully  chased  punch-bowl  in  silver. 
Almost  at  the  same  moment,  Pierre  offered  a  salver  that  con¬ 
tained  a  capital  watch,  a  pair  of  small  silver  tongs  to  hold  a 
coal,  and  a  deck  trumpet,  in  solid  silver. 

“  These  »re  so  many  faint  testimonials  of  our  feelings,” 
said  Eve  ;  ‘  ‘  and  you  will  do  us  the  favor  to  retain  them, 
as  evidences  of  the  esteem  created  by  skill,  kindness,  and 
courage.” 

‘  ‘  My  dear  young  lady  !  ’  ’  cried  the  old  tar,  touched  to  the 
soul  by  the  feeling  with  which  Eve  acquitted  herself  of  this 
little  duty,  “my  dear  young  lady — well,  God  bless  you — God 
bless  you  all — you  too,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  for  that  mat¬ 
ter — and  Sir  George — that  I  should  ever  have  taken  that 
runaway  for  a  gentleman  and  a  baronet — though  I  suppose 
there  are  some  silly  baronets,  as  well  as  silly  lords — retain 
them  ?  ”  glancing  furiously  at  Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg,  “  may 
the  Eord  forget  me  in  the  heaviest  hurricane,  if  I  ever  forget 
whence  these  things  came,  and  why  they  were  given.” 

Here  the  worthy  captain  was  obliged  to  swallow  some 
wine,  by  way  of  relieving  his  emotions,  and  Aristabulus, 
profiting  by  the  opportunity,  coolly  took  the  bowl,  which, 
to  use  a  word  of  his  own,  he  hefted  in  his  hand,  with  a  view 
to  form  some  tolerably  accurate  notion  of  its  intrinsic  value. 
Captain  Truck’s  eye  caught  the  action,  and  he  reclaimed  his 
property  quite  as  unceremoniously  as  it  had  been  taken 
away,  nothing  but  the  presence  of  the  ladies  preventing  an 
outbreaking  that  would  have  amounted  to  a  declaration  of 
war. 

“  With  your  permission,  sir,”  said  the  captain,  dryly,  after 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


27 


he  had  recovered  the  bowl,  not  only  without  the  other’s  con¬ 
sent,  but  in  some  degree  against  his  will  ;  ‘  ‘  this  bowl  is  as 
precious  in  my  eyes  as  if  it  were  made  of  my  father’s 
bones.” 

“You  may  indeed  think  so,”  returned  the  land-agent, 
“  for  its  cost  could  not  be  less  than  a  hundred  dollars.” 

“  Cost,  sir  !  But,  my  dear  young  lady,  let  us  talk  of  the 
real  value.  For  what  part  of  these  things  am  I  indebted  to 
you  ?  ” 

“  The  bowl  is  my  offering,”  Eve  answered  smilingly, 
though  a  tear  glistened  in  her  eye,  as  she  witnessed  the 
strong,  unsophisticated  feeling  of  the  old  tar.  ‘  ‘  I  thought 
it  might  serve  sometimes  to  bring  me  to  your  recollection, 
when  it  was  well  filled  in  honor  of  ‘  sweethearts  and 
wives.  ’  ’  ’ 

“  It  shall — it  shall,  by  the  L,ord  ;  and  Mr.  Saunders  needs 
look  to  it,  if  he  do  not  keep  this  work  as  bright  as  a 
cruising  frigate’s  bottom.  To  whom  do  I  owe  the  coal- 
tongs  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Those  are  from  Mr.  John  Effingham,  who  insists  that 
he  will  come  nearer  to  your  heart  than  any  of  us,  though 
the  gift  be  of  so  little  cost.” 

“  He  does  not  know  me,  my  dear  young  lady — nobody  ever 
got  as  near  my  heart  as  you ;  no,  not  even  my  own  dear 
pious  old  mother.  But  I  thank  Mr.  John  Effingham  from 
my  inmost  spirit,  and  shall  seldom  smoke  without  thinking 
of  him.  The  watch  I  know  is  Mr.  Effingham’s,  and  I 
ascribe  the  trumpet  to  Sir  George.” 

The  bows  of  the  several  gentlemen  assured  the  captain 
he  was  right,  and  he  shook  each  of  them  cordially  by  the 
hand,  protesting,  in  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  that  nothing 
would  give  him  greater  pleasure  than  to  be  able  to  go 
through  the  same  perilous  scenes  as  those  from  which  they 
had  so  lately  escaped,  in  their  good  company  again. 

While  this  was  going  on,  Aristabulus,  notwithstanding 
the  rebuke  he  had  received,  contrived  to  get  each  article, 
in  succession,  into  his  hands,  and  by  dint  of  poising  it  on  a 
finger,  or  by  examining  it,  to  form  some  approximative  no¬ 
tion  of  its  inherent  value.  The  watch  he  actually  opened, 


28 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


taking  as  good  a  survey  of  its  works  as  the  circumstances 
of  the  case  would  very  well  allow. 

“  I  respect  these  things,  sir,  more  than  you  respect  your 
father’s  grave,”  said  Captain  Truck,  sternly,  as  he  rescued 
the  last  article  from  what  he  thought  the  impious  grasp  of 
Aristabulus  again,  “  and  cat  or  no  cat,  they  sink  or  swim 
with  me  for  the  remainder  of  the  cruise.  If  there  is  any 
virtue  in  a  will,  which  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  hear  there  is 
not  any  longer,  they  shall  share  my  last  bed  with  me,  be  it 
ashore  or  be  it  afloat.  My  dear  young  lady,  fancy  all  the 
rest,  but  depend  on  it,  punch  will  be  sweeter  than  ever  taken 
from  this  bowl,  and  ‘  sweethearts  and  wives  ’  will  never  be 
so  honored  again.” 

“  We  are  going  to  a  ball  this  evening,  at  the  house  of  one 
with  whom  I  am  sufficiently  intimate  to  take  the  liberty  of 
introducing  a  stranger,  and  I  wish,  gentlemen,”  said  Mr. 
Kffingham,  bowing  to  Aristabulus  and  the  captain,  by  way 
of  changing  the  conversation,  “  you  would  do  me  the  favor 
to  be  of  our  party.” 

Mr.  Bragg  acquiesced  very  cheerfully,  and  quite  as  a  mat¬ 
ter  of  course ;  while  Captain  Truck,  after  protesting  his 
unfitness  for  such  scenes,  was  finally  prevailed  on  by  John 
Kffingham  to  comply  with  the  request  also.  The  ladies 
remained  at  table  but  a  few  minutes  longer,  when  they 
retired,  Mr.  Kffingham  having  dropped  into  the  old  custom 
of  sitting  at  the  bottle  until  summoned  to  the  drawing-room, 
a  usage  that  continues  to  exist  in  America,  for  a  reason  no 
better  than  the  fact  that  it  continues  to  exist  in  Kngland  ;  it 
being  almost  certain  that  it  will  cease  in  New  York,  the 
season  after  it  is  known  to  have  ceased  in  Kondon. 


CHAPTER  III. 


A 


“Thou  art  as  wise  as  thou  art  beautiful.” 

Shakespeare. 

S  Captain  Truck  asked  permission  to  initiate  the 
new  coal-tongs  by  lighting  a  cigar,  Sir  George 
Templemore  contrived  to  ask  Pierre,  in  an  aside, 
if  the  ladies  would  allow  him  to  join  them.  The 
desired  consent  having  been  obtained,  the  baronet  quietly 
stole  from  table,  and  was  soon  beyond  the  odors  of  the 
dining-room. 

“You  miss  the  censer  and  the  frankincense,”  said  Eve, 
laughing,  as  Sir  George  entered  the  drawing-room;  “but 
you  will  remember  we  have  no  Church  establishment,  and 
dare  not  take  such  liberties  with  the  ceremonials  of  the 
altar.” 

“That  is  a  short-lived  custom  with  us,  I  fancy,  though 
far  from  an  unpleasant  one.  But  you  do  me  injustice  in 
supposing  I  am  merely  running  away  from  the  fumes  of 
the  dinner.” 

“No,  no;  we  understand  perfectly  well  that  you  have 
something  to  do  with  the  fumes  of  flattery,  and  we  will  at 
once  fancy  all  has  been  said  that  the  occasion  requires.  Is 
not  our  honest  old  captain  a  jewel  in  his  way  ?  ” 

“  Upon  my  word,  since  you  allow  me  to  .speak  of  your 
father’s  guests,  I  do  not  think  it  possible  to  have  brought 
together  two  men  who  are  so  completely  the  opposites  of 
each  other,  as  Captain  Truck  and  this  Mr.  Aristabulus 
Bragg.  The  latter  is  quite  the  most  extraordinary  person 
in  his  way  it  was  ever  my  good  fortune  to  meet  with.” 

You  call  him  a  person,  while  Pierre  calls  him  a  person- 


<  < 


3° 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


age  ;  I  fancy  he  considers  it  very  much  as  a  matter  of  acci¬ 
dent,  whether  he  is  to  pass  his  days  in  the  one  character  or 
in  the  other.  Cousin  Jack  assures  me,  that  while  this  man 
accepts  almost  any  duty  that  he  chooses  to  assign  him,  he 
would  not  deem  it  at  all  a  violation  of  the  convenances  to  aim 
at  the  throne  in  the  White  House. 

‘  ‘  Certainly  with  no  hopes  of  ever  attaining  it  !  ’  ’ 

“One  cannot  answer  for  that.  The  man  must  undergo 
many  essential  changes,  and  much  radical  improvement, 
before  such  a  climax  to  his  fortunes  can  ever  occur ;  but 
the  instant  you  do  away  with  the  claims  of  hereditary 
power,  the  door  is  opened  to  a  new  chapter  of  accidents. 
Alexander  of  Russia  styles  himself  un  heureux  accident ; 
and  should  it  ever  be  our  fortune  to  receive  Mr.  Bragg  as 
President,  we  shall  only  have  to  term  him  un  malheureux 
accideyit.  I  believe  that  will  contain  all  the  difference.” 

“Your  republicanism  is  indomitable,  Miss  Effingham, 
and  I  shall  abandon  the  attempt  to  convert  you  to  safer 
principles,  more  especially  as  I  find  you  supported  by  both 
the  Mr.  Effinghams,  who,  while  they  condemn  so  much  at 
home,  seem  singularly  attached  to  their  own  system  at  the 
bottom.” 

“They  condemn,  Sir  George  Templemore,  because  they 
know  that  perfection  is  hopeless,  and  because  they  feel  it  to 
be  unsafe  and  unwise  to  eulogize  defects  ;  and  they  are 
attached,  because  near  views  of  other  countries  have  con¬ 
vinced  them  that,  comparatively  at  least,  bad  as  we  are,  we 
are  still  better  than  most  of  our  neighbors. 

“  I  can  assure  you,”  said  Grace,  “  that  many  of  the  opin¬ 
ions  of  Mr.  John  Effingham,  in  particular,  are  not  at  all 
the  opinions  that  are  most  in  vogue  here ;  he  rather  cen¬ 
sures  what  we  like,  and  likes  what  we  censure.  Even  my 
dear  uncle  is  thought  to  be  a  little  heterodox  on  such  sub¬ 
jects.” 

“I  can  readily  believe  it,”  returned  Eve,  steadily. 
‘ ‘  These  gentlemen  having  become  familiar  with  better 
things  in  the  way  of  the  tastes  and  of  the  purely  agreeable, 
cannot  discredit  their  own  knowledge  so  much  as  to  extol 
that  which  their  own  experience  tells  them  is  faulty,  or  con- 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


31 


demn  that  which  their  own  experience  tells  them  is  rela¬ 
tively  good.  Now,  Grace,  if  you  will  reflect  a  moment, 
you  will  perceive  that  people  necessarily  like  the  best  of 


their  own  tastes  until  they  come  to  a  knowledge  of  better, 
and  that  they  as  necessarily  quarrel  with  the  unpleasant 
facts  that  surround  them,  although  these  facts,  as  conse¬ 
quences  of  a  political  system,  may  be  much  less  painful 
than  those  of  other  systems  of  which  they  have  no  knowl¬ 
edge.  In  the  one  case  they  like  their  own  best,  simply 
because  it  is  their  own  best ;  and  they  dislike  their  own 
worst,  because  it  is  their  own  worst.  We  cherish  a  taste 
in  the  nature  of  things,  without  entering  into  any  compari¬ 
sons  ;  for  when  the  means  of  comparison  offer,  and  we  find 
improvements,  it  ceases  to  be  a  taste  at  all,  while  to  com¬ 
plain  of  any  positive  grievance,  is  the  nature  of  man,  I  fear.” 

‘  ‘  I  think  a  republic  odious  !  ’  ’ 

“La  republique  est  une  horreur !  ”  —  H 

Grace  thought  a  republic  odious,  without  knowing  any¬ 
thing  of  any  other  state  of  society,  and  because  it  contained 
odious  things,  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  called  a  republic 
une  horreur ,  because  heads  fell  and  anarchy  prevailed  in  1 
her  own  country  during  its  early  struggles  for  liberty  ( 
Though  Eve  seldom  spoke  more  sensibly,  and  never  more 


temperately,  than  while  delivering  the  foregoing  opinions, 
Sir  George  Templemore  doubted  whether  she  had  all  that 
exquisite  finesse  and  delicacy  of  features  that  he  had  so 
much  admired,  and  when  Grace  burst  out  in  the  sudden 
and  senseless  exclamation  we  have  recorded,  he  turned 
towards  her  sweet  and  animated  countenance,  which,  for 
the  moment,  he  fancied  the  loveliest  of  the  two. 


Kve  Effingham  had  yet  to  learn  that  she  had  just  en¬ 
tered  into  the  most  intolerant  society,  meaning  purely  as 
society,  and  in  connection  with  what  are  usually  called 
liberal  sentiments,  in  Christendom.  We  do  not  mean  by 
this,  that  it  would  be  less  safe  to  utter  a  generous  opinion 
in  favor  of  human  rights  in  America  than  in  any  other 
country,  for  the  laws  and  the  institutions  become  active  in 
this  respect ,  but  simply  that  the  resistance  of  the  more 
refined  to  the  encroachments  of  the  unrefined,  has  brought 


32 


Tbome  as  jfounb 


about  a  state  of  feeling — a  feeling  that  is  seldom  just  and 
never  philosophical — which  has  created  a  silent  but  almost 
unanimous  bias  against  the  effects  of  the  institutions  in 
what  is  called  the  world.  In  Europe  one  rarely  utters  a 
.sentiment  of  this  nature  under  circumstances  in  which  it  is 
safe  to  do  so  at  all,  without  finding  a  very  general  sympa¬ 
thy  in  the  auditors  ;  but  in  the  circle  into  which  Eve  had 
now  fallen,  it  was  almost  considered  a  violation  of  the  pro¬ 
prieties.  We  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  saying  more 
than  we  mean,  however ;  for  we  have  no  manner  of  doubt 
that  a  large  portion  of  the  dissentients  even,  are  so  idly, 
and  without  reflection,  or  for  the  very  natural  reasons 
already  given  by  our  heroine ;  but  we  do  wish  to  be  under¬ 
stood  as  meaning  that  such  is  the  outward  appearance 
which  American  society  presents  to  every  stranger,  and  to 
every  native  of  the  country  too,  on  his  return  from  a  resi¬ 
dence  among  other  people.  Of  its  taste,  wisdom,  and 
safety  we  shall  not  now  speak,  but  content  ourselves  with 
merely  saying  that  the  effect  of  Grace’s  exclamation  on 
Eve  was  unpleasant,  and  that,  unlike  the  baronet,  she 
thought  her  cousin  was  never  less  handsome  than  while  her 
pretty  face  was  covered  with  the  pettish  frown  it  had 
assumed  for  the  occasion. 

Sir  George  Templemore  had  tact  enough  to  perceive  there 
had  been  a  slight  jar  in  the  feelings  of  these  two  young  wo¬ 
men,  and  he  adroitly  changed  the  conversation.  With  Eve 
he  had  entire  confidence  on  the  score  of  provincialism,  and, 
without  exactly  anticipating  the  part  Grace  would  be  likely 
to  take  in  such  a  discussion,  he  introduced  the  subject  of 
general  society  in  New  York. 

“I  am  desirous  to  know,”  he  said,  “if  you  have  your 
sets,  as  we  have  them  in  Eondon  and  Paris.  Whether 
you  have  your  Faubourg  St.  Germain  and  your  Chaussee 
d’Antin;  your  Piccadilly,  Grosvenor  and  Russell  Squares.” 

“  I  must  refer  you  to  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  for  an  answer 
to  that  question,”  said  Eve. 

Grace  looked  up  blushing  ;  for  there  were  both  novelty  and 
excitement  in  having  an  intelligent  foreigner  question  her 
on  such  a  subject. 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


33 


“  I  do  not  know  that  I  rightly  understand  the  allusion,” 
she  said  ;  although  I  am  afraid  Sir  George  Templemore 
means  to  ask  if  we  have  distinctions  in  society  ?  ’  ’ 

“  And  why  afraid,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  ?  ” 

“  Because  it  strikes  me  such  a  question  would  imply  a 
doubt  of  our  civilization.” 

“  There  are  frequently  distinctions  made,  when  the  differ¬ 
ences  are  not  obvious,”  observed  Eve.  “  Even  Eondon  and 
Paris  are  not  above  the  imputation  of  this  folly.  Sir  George 
Templemore,  if  I  understand  him,  wishes  to  know  if  we 
estimate  gentility  by  streets,  and  quality  by  squares.” 

“  Not  exactly  that  either,  Miss  Effingham  ;  but,  whether 
among  those  who  may  very  well  pass  for  gentlemen  and 
ladies,  you  enter  into  the  minute  distinctions  that  are  else¬ 
where  found.  Whether  you  have  your  exclusives  and  your 
elegants  and  elig  antes  ;  or  whether  you  deem  all  within  the 
pale  as  on  an  equality  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Les  femmes  Americaines  sont  bien  jo  lies  !  ”  exclaimed 
Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

“It  is  quite  impossible  that  coteries  should  not  form  in  a 
town  of  three  hundred  thousand  souls.” 

“I  do  not  mean  exactly  that.  Is  there  no  distinction 
between  coteries  ?  Is  not  one  placed  by  opinion,  by  a 
silent  consent,  if  not  by  positive  ordinances,  above  another  ?  ’  ’ 

Certainly,  that  to  which  Sir  George  Templemore  alludes, 
is  to  be  found,”  said  Grace,  who  gained  courage  to  speak, 
as  she  found  the  subject  getting  to  be  more  clearly  within 
her  comprehension.  “All  the  old  families,  for  instance, 
keep  more  together  than  the  others,  though  it  is  the  subject 
of  regret  that  they  are  not  more  particular  than  they  are.” 

Old  families  !  exclaimed  Sir  George  Templemore,  with 
quite  as  much  stress  as  a  well-bred  man  could  very  well  lay 
on  the  words  in  such  circumstances. 

Old  families,”  repeated  Eve,  with  all  that  emphasis 
which  the  baronet  himself  had  hesitated  about  giving.  “  As 
old  at  least  as  two  centuries  can  make  them,  and  this,  too,  with 
origins  beyond  that  period,  like  those  of  the  rest  of  the  world. 
Indeed,  the  American  has  a  better  gentility  than  common, 
as,  besides  his  own,  he  may  take  root  in  that  of  Europe.” 


t 


34 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


“  Do  not  misconceive  me,  Miss  Effingham.  I  am  fully 
aware  that  the  people  of  this  country  are  exactly  like  the 
people  of  all  other  civilized  countries  in  this  respect;  but 
my  surprise  is  that,  in  a  republic,  you  should  have  such  a 
term  even  as  that  of  ‘  old  families.’  ” 

“  The  surprise  has  arisen,  I  must  be  permitted  to  say, 
from  not  having  sufficiently  reflected  on  the  real  state  of 
the  country.  There  are  two  great  causes  of  distinction 
everywhere,  wealth  and  merit.  Now,  if  a  race  of  Americans 
continue  conspicuous  in  their  own  society  through  either  or 
both  of  these  causes  for  a  succession  of  generations,  why 
have  they  not  the  same  claims  to  be  considered  members 
of  old  families,  as  Europeans  under  the  same  circumstances  ? 
A  republican  history  is  as  much  history  as  a  monarchical 
history  ;  and  a  historical  name  in  one  is  quite  as  much 
entitled  to  consideration  as  a  historical  name  in  another. 
Nay,  you  admit  this  in  your  European  republics,  while  you 
wish  to  deny  it  in  ours.” 

“I  must  insist  on  having  proofs;  if  we  permit  these 
charges  to  be  brought  against  us  without  evidence,  Made¬ 
moiselle  Viefville,  we  shall  finally  be  defeated  through  our 
own  neglect.” 

“  Cest  une  belle  illustration,  celle  de  V antiquitt  ”  observed 
the  governess,  in  a  matter-of-course  tone. 

“  If  you  insist  on  proof,  what  answer  can  you  urge  to 
the  Capponi  ?  ‘  Sonnez  vos  trompettes,  et  je  vais  faire 

so?iner  ines  cloches ,  ’ — or  to  the  Von  Erlachs,  a  family  that 
has  headed  so  many  resistances  to  oppression  and  invasion, 
for  five  centuries  ?  ’  ’ 

“All  this  is  very  true,”  returned  Sir  George,  “and  yet 
I  confess  it  is  not  the  way  in  which  it  is  usual  with  us  to 
consider  American  society.” 

“A  descent  from  Washington,  with  a  character  and  a 
social  position  to  correspond,  would  not  be  absolutely  vul¬ 
gar,  notwithstanding  !  ” 

“Nay,  if  you  press  me  so  hard,  I  must  appeal  to  Miss 
Van  Cortlandt  for  succor.” 

“  On  this  point  you  will  find  no  support  in  that  quarter. 
Miss  Van  Cortlandt  has  an  historical  name  herself,  and 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


35 


will  not  forego  an  honest  pride,  in  order  to  relieve  one  of 
the  hostile  powers  from  a  dilemma.” 

While  I  admit  that  time  and  merit  must,  in  a  certain 
sense,  place  families  in  America  in  the  same  situation  with 
families  in  Europe,  I  cannot  see  that  it  is  in  conformity 
with  your  institutions  to  lay  the  same  stress  on  the  circum¬ 
stance.” 


“  In  that  we  are  perfectly  of  a  mind,  as  I  think  the 
American  has  much  the  best  reason  to  be  proud  of  his 
family,”  said  Eve,  quietly. 


“You  delight  in  paradoxes,  apparently,  this  evening, 
Miss  Effingham,  for  I  now  feel  very  certain  you  can  hardly 
make  out  a  plausible  defence  of  this  new  position. 

“If  I  had  my  old  ally,  Mr.  Powis,  here,”  said  Eve, 
touching  the  fender  unconsciously  with  her  little  foot,  and 
perceptibly  losing  the  animation  and  pleasantry  of  her  voice 
in  tones  that  were  gentler,  if  not  melancholy,  “  I  should  ask 


him  to  explain  this  matter  to  you,  for  he  was  singularly 
ready  in  such  replies.  As  he  is  absent,  however,  I  will  at¬ 
tempt  the  duty  myself.  /  In  Europe,  office,  power,  and  con¬ 
sequently  consideration,  are  all  hereditary  ;  whereas  in  this 
country  they  are  not,  but  they  depend  on  selection.  Now, 
surely,  one  has  more  reason  to  be  proud  of  ancestors  who 
have  been  chosen  to  fill  responsible  stations,  than  of  ances¬ 
tors  who  have  filled  them  through  the  accidents,  heureux  ou 
malheureux,  of  birth.  The  only  difference  between  Eng¬ 
land  and  America,  as  respects  family,  is  that  you  add 
positive  rank  to  that  to  which  we  only  give  consideration. 
Sentiment  is  at  the  bottom  of  our  nobility,  and  the  great 
seal  at  the  bottom  of  yours.  And  now,  having  established 
the  fact  that  there  are  families  in  America,  let  us  return 
whence  we  started,  and  inquire  how  far  they  have  an  influ¬ 
ence  in  every-day  society.” 


“To  ascertain  which,  we  must  apply  to  Miss  Van  Cort-~v 
landt.” 

“  Much  less  than  they  ought,  if  my  opinion  is  to  be 
taken,”  said  Grace,  laughing,  “  for  the  great  inroad  of 
strangers  has  completely  deranged  all  the  suitablenesses  in 
that  respect.” 


36 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


“And  yet,  I  dare  say  these  very  strangers  do'  good,’’  re¬ 
joined  Eve.  “  Many  of  them  must  have  been  respectable  in 
their  native  places,  and  ought  to  be  an  acquisition  to  a  society 
that  in  its  nature  must  be,  Grace,  tant  soil peu ,  provincial.” 

“Oh  !”  cried  Grace,  “I  can  tolerate  anything  but  the 
Hajjis!” 

“The  what?”  asked  Sir  George,  eagerly;  “will  you 
suffer  me  to  ask  an  explanation,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  ?  ” 

“The  Hajjis,”  repeated  Grace,  laughing,  though  she 
blushed  to  the  eyes. 

The  baronet  looked  from  one  cousin  to  the  other,  and 
then  turned  an  inquiring  glance  on  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 
The  latter  gave  a  slight  shrug,  and  seemed  to  ask  an  expla¬ 
nation  of  the  young  lady’s  meaning  herself. 

“  A  Hajji  is  one  of  a  class,  Sir  George  Templemore,”  Eve 
at  length  said,  “  to  which  you  and  I  have  both  the  honor  of 
belonging.” 

“  No,  not  Sir  George  Templemore,”  interrupted  Grace, 
with  a  precipitation  that  she  instantly  regretted  ;  “  he  is  not 
an  American.” 

“Then  I,  alone,  of  all  present,  have  that  honor.  It 
means  the  pilgrimage  to  Paris  instead  of  Mecca  ;  and  the 
pilgrim  must  be  an  American  instead  of  a  Mohammedan.” 

“  Nay,  Eve,  you  are  not  a  Hajji,  neither.” 

“Then  there  is  some  qualification  with  which  I  am  not 
yet  acquainted.  Will  you  relieve  our  doubts,  Grace,  and 
let  us  know  the  precise  character  of  the  animal  ?  ’  ’ 

“You  stayed  too  long  to  be  a  Hajji  ;  one  must  get  inocu¬ 
lated  merely,  not  take  the  disease  and  become  cured,  to  be  a 
true  Hajji.” 

“  I  thank  you,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  for  this  description,” 
returned  Eve,  in  her  quiet  way.  “  I  hope,  as  I  have  gone 
through  the  malady,  it  has  not  left  me  pitted.” 

“I  should  like  to  see  one  of  these  Hajjis,”  cried  Sir 
George,  ‘  ‘  Are  they  of  both  sexes  ?  ’  ’ 

Grace  laughed,  and  nodded  her  head. 

‘  ‘  Will  you  point  it  out  to  me,  should  we  be  so  fortunate  as 
to  encounter  one  this  evening  ?  ’  ’ 

Again  Grace  laughed,  and  nodded  her  head. 


Iborne  as  jfounfc 


37 


“  I  have  been  thinking,  Grace,”  said  Eve,  after  a  short 
pause,  “  that  we  may  give  Sir  George  Templemore  a  better 
idea  of  the  sets  about  which  he  is  so  curious,  by  doing  what 
is  no  more  than  a  duty  of  our  own,  and  by  letting  him 
profit  by  the  opportunity.  Mrs.  Hawker  receives  this  even¬ 
ing  without  ceremony  ;  we  have  not  yet  sent  our  answer  to 
Mrs.  Jarvis,  and  might  very  well  look  in  upon  her  for  half 
an  hour,  after  which  we  shall  be  in  very  good  season  for 
Mrs.  Houston’s  ball.” 

“Surely,  Eve,  you  would  not  wish  to  take  Sir  George 
Templemore  to  such  a  house  as  that  of  Mrs.  Jarvis  !  ” 

“  I  do  not  wish  to  take  Sir  George  Templemore  anywhere, 
for  your  Hajjis  have  opinions  of  their  own  on  such  subjects. 
But  as  Cousin  Jack  will  accompany  us,  he  may  very  well 
confer  that  important  favor.  I  dare  say  Mrs.  Jarvis  will  not 
look  upon  it  as  too  great  a  liberty.” 

“  I  will  answer  for  it,  that  nothing  Mr.  John  Effingham 
can  do  will  be  thought  mal-a-propos  by  Mrs.  Jared  Jarvis. 
His  position  in  society  is  too  well  established,  and  hers  is  too 
equivocal  to  leave  any  doubt  on  that  head.” 

“This,  you  perceive,  settles  the  point  of  coteries ,”  said 
Eve  to  the  baronet.  “Volumes  might  be  written  to  estab¬ 
lish  principles  ;  but  when  one  can  do  anything  he  or  she 
pleases,  anywhere  that  he  or  she  likes,  it  is  pretty  safe  to  say 
that  he  or  she  is  privileged.” 

‘ '  All  very  true  as  to  the  fact,  Miss  Effingham  ;  but  I 
should  like  exceedingly  to  know  the  reason.” 

Half  the  time  such  things  are  decided  without  a  reason 
at  all.  You  are  a  little  exacting  in  requiring  a  reason  in 
New  York  for  that  which  is  done  in  Eondon  without  even 
the  pretence  of  such  a  thing.  It  is  sufficient  that  Mrs. 
Jarvis  will  be  delighted  to  see  you  without  an  invitation, 
and  that  Mrs.  Houston  would  at  least  think  it  odd  were  you 
to  take  the  same  liberty  with  her.” 

“  It  follows,”  said  Sir  George,  smiling,  “  that  Mrs.  Jarvis 
is  much  the  more  hospitable  person  of  the  two.  ’  ’ 

“  But,  Eve,  what  is  to  be  done  with  Captain  Truck  and 
Mr.  Bragg?”  asked  Grace.  “We  cannot  take  them  to 
Mrs.  Hawker’s  ?  ” 


38 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


‘  ‘  Aristabulus  would,  indeed,  be  a  little  out  of  place  in 
such  a  house,  but  as  for  our  excellent,  brave,  straightfor¬ 
ward  old  captain,  he  is  worthy  to  go  anywhere.  I  shall  be 
delighted  to  present  him  to  Mrs.  Hawker  myself.” 

After  a  little  consultation  between  the  ladies,  it  was  set¬ 
tled  that  nothing  should  be  said  of  the  two  first  visits  to 
Mr.  Bragg,  but  that  Mr.  Effingham  should  be  requested  to 
bring  him  to  the  ball  at  the  proper  hour,  and  that  the  rest 
of  the  party  should  go  quietly  off  to  the  other  places  with¬ 
out  mentioning  their  projects.  As  soon  as  this  was  arranged, 
the  ladies  retired  to  dress,  Sir  George  Templemore  passing 
into  the  library  to  amuse  himself  with  a  book  the  while  ; 
where,  however,  he  was  soon  joined  by  John  Effingham. 
Here  the  former  revived  the  conversation  on  distinctions  in 
society,  with  the  confusion  of  thought  that  usually  marks  a 
European’s  notion  of  such  matters. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


“  ‘Ready.* 

‘And  I.’ 

‘And  I.’ 

‘  Where  shall  we  go  ?  ’  ” 

Midsummer-Night' s  Dream. 


GRACE  VAN  CORTLANDT  was  the  first  to  make 
her  appearance  after  the  retreat  from  the  drawing¬ 
room.  It  has  often  been  said  that  pretty  as  the 
American  females  incontestably  are,  as  a  whole 
they  appear  better  in  demi- toilette,  than  when  attired  for  a  ball. 
With  what  would  be  termed  high  dress  in  other  parts  of  the 
world,  they  are  little  acquainted  ;  but  reversing  the  rule  of 
Europe,  where  the  married  bestow  the  most  care  on  their 
personal  appearance,  and  the  single  are  taught  to  observe 
a  rigid  simplicity,  Grace  now  seemed  sufficiently  ornamented 
in  the  eyes  of  the  fastidious  baronet,  while  at  the  same 
time  he  thought  her  less  obnoxious  to  the  criticisms 
just  mentioned,  than  most  of  her  young  countrywomen  in 
general. 

An  embonpoint  that  was  just  sufficient  to  distinguish  her 
from  most  of  her  companions,  a  fine  color,  brilliant  eyes,  a 
sweet  smile,  rich  hair,  and  such  hands  and  feet  as  Sir  George 
Templemore  had  somehow — he  scarcely  knew  how  himself 
— fancied  could  only  belong  to  the  daughters  of  peers  and 
princes,  rendered  Grace  so  strikingly  attractive  this  evening, 
that  the  young  baronet  began  to  think  her  even  handsomer 
than  hef  cousin.  There  was  also  a  charm  in  the  unsophisti¬ 
cated  simplicity  of  Grace,  that  was  particularly  alluring  to  a 
man  educated  amidst  the  coldness  and  mannerism  of  the 
higher  classes  of  England.  In  Grace,  too,  this  simplicity 

39 


4° 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


was  chastened  by  perfect  decorum  and  retenue  of  deport¬ 
ment  ;  the  exuberance  of  the  new  school  of  manners  not 
having  helped  to  impair  the  dignity  of  her  character,  or  to 
weaken  the  charm  of  diffidence.  She  was  less  finished  in 
her  manners  than  Eve,  certainly  ;  a  circumstance,  perhaps, 
that  induced  Sir  George  Templemore  to  fancy  her  a  shade 
more  simple,  but  she  was  never  unfeminine  or  unladylike ; 
and  the  term  vulgar,  in  spite  of  all  the  capricious  and  arbi¬ 
trary  rules  of  fashion,  under  no  circumstance  could  ever  be 
applied  to  Grace  Van  Cortlandt.  In  this  respect  nature 
seemed  to  have  aided  her  ;  for  had  not  her  associations 
raised  her  above  such  an  imputation,  no  one  could  believe 
that  she  could  be  obnoxious  to  the  charge,  had  her  lot  in 
life  been  cast  even  many  degrees  lower  than  it  actually  was. 

It  is  well  known  that  after  a  sufficient  similarity  has  been 
created  by  education  to  prevent  any  violent  shocks  to  our 
habits  or  principles,  we  most  affect  those  whose  characters 
and  dispositions  the  least  resemble  our  own.  This  was  prob¬ 
ably  one  of  the  reasons  why  Sir  George  Templemore,  who 
for  some  time  had  been  well  assured  of  the  hopelessness  of 
his  suit  with  Eve,  began  to  regard  her  scarcely  less  lovely 
cousin  with  an  interest  of  a  novel  and  lively  nature.  Quick- 
sighted  and  deeply  interested  in  Grace’s  happiness,  Miss 
Effingham  had  already  detected  this  change  in  the  young 
baronet’s  inclinations,  and  though  sincerely  rejoiced  on  her 
own  account,  she  did  not  observe  it  without  concern  ;  for  she 
understood  better  than  most  of  her  countrywomen  the  great 
hazards  of  destroying  her  peace  of  mind,  that  are  incurred  by 
transplanting  an  American  woman  into  the  more  artificial 
circles  of  the  Old  World. 

“  I  shall  rely  on  your  kind  offices  in  particular,  Miss  Van 
Cortlandt,  to  reconcile  Mrs.  Jarvis  and  Mrs.  Hawker  to  the 
liberty  I  am  about  to  take,”  cried  Sir  George,  as  Grace 
burst  upon  them  in  the  library  in  a  blaze  of  beauty  that,  in 
her  case,  was  aided  by  her  attire;  “  and  cold-hearted  and 
unchristian-like  women  they  must  be,  indeed,  to  resist  such 
a  mediator  !  ” 

Grace  was  unaccustomed  to  adulation  of  this  sort  ;  for 
though  the  baronet  spoke  gayly,  and  like  one  half  trifling,  his 


Ibome  as  ffourto 


41 


look  of  admiration  was  too  honest  to  escape  the  intuitive  per¬ 
ception  of  woman.  She  blushed  deeply,  and  then  recovering 
herself  instantly,  said  with  a  naivete  that  had  a  thousand 
charms  with  her  listener, — 

“  I  do  not  see  why  Miss  Effingham  and  myself  should 
hesitate  about  introducing  you  at  either  place.  Mrs.  Hawker 
is  a  relative  and  intimate — an  intimate  of  mine,  at  least 
— and  as  for  poor  Mrs.  Jarvis,  she  is  the  daughter  of  an  old 
neighbor,  and  will  be  too  glad  to  see  us  to  raise  objections. 
I  fancy  any  one  of  a  certain — ”  Grace  hesitated,  and 
laughed. 

“Any  one  of  a  certain — ”  said  Sir  George,  inquiringly. 

‘  ‘  Any  one  from  this  house,  ’  ’  resumed  the  young  lady, 
correcting  the  intended  expression,  “will  be  welcome  in 
Spring  Street.  ’  ’ 

“  Pure  native  aristocracy  !  ”  exclaimed  the  baronet,  with 
an  air  of  affected  triumph.  “This,  you  see,  Mr.  John 
Effingham,  is  in  aid  of  my  argument.” 

“I  am  quite  of  your  opinion,”  returned  the  gentleman 
addressed  ;  “as  much  native  aristocracy  as  you  please,  but 
no  hereditary.  ” 

The  entrance  of  Eve  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  inter¬ 
rupted  this  pleasantry,  and  the  carriages  being  just  then 
announced,  John  Effingham  went  in  quest  of  Captain  Truck, 
who  was  in  the  drawing-room  with  Mr.  Effingham  and 
Aristabulus. 

“  I  have  left  Ned  to  discuss  trespass  suits  and  leases  with 
his  land-agent,”  said  John  Effingham,  as  he  followed  Eve  to 
the  street  door.  “By  ten  o’clock  they  will  have  taxed  a 
pretty  bill  of  costs  between  them  !  ’  ’ 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  followed  John  Effingham ;  Grace 
came  next,  and  Sir  George  Templemore  and  the  captain 
brought  up  the  rear.  Grace  wondered  the  young  baronet 
did  not  offer  her  his  arm,  for  she  had  been  accustomed  to 
receive  this  attention  from  the  other  sex  in  a  hundred  situa¬ 
tions  in  which  it  was  rather  an  incumbrance  than  a  service  ; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  Sir  George  himself  would  have 
hesitated  about  offering  such  assistance,  as  an  act  of  uncalled- 
for  familiarity. 


42 


Ifoome  as  jfounfc 


Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  being  much  in  society,  kept  a  chariot 
for  her  own  use,  and  the  three  ladies  took  their  seats  in  it, 
while  the  gentlemen  took  possession  of  Mr.  Effingham’s 
coach.  The  order  was  given  to  drive  to  Spring  Street,  and 
the  whole  party  proceeded. 

The  acquaintance  between  the  Effinghams  and  Mr.  Jarvis 
had  arisen  from  the  fact  of  their  having  been  near,  and,  in  a 
certain  sense,  sociable  neighbors  in  the  country.  Their 
town  associations,  however,  were  as  distinct  as  if  they  dwelt 
in  different  hemispheres,  with  the  exception  of  an  occasional 
morning  call,  and  now  and  then  a  family  dinner  given  by 
Mr.  Effingham.  Such  had  been  the  nature  of  the  intercourse 
previously  to  the  family  of  the  latter  having  gone  abroad, 
and  there  were  symptoms  of  its  being  renewed  on  the  same 
quiet  and  friendly  footing  as  formerly.  But  no  two  beings 
could  be  less  alike,  in  certain  essentials,  than  Mr.  Jarvis  and 
his  wife.  The  former  was  a  plain,  painstaking,  sensible 
man  of  business,  while  the  latter  had  an  itching  desire  to 
figure  in  the  world  of  fashion.  The  first  was  perfectly  aware 
that  Mr.  Effingham,  in  education,  habits,  associations,  and 
manners,  was,  at  least,  of  a  class  entirely  distinct  from  his 
own  ;  and  without  troubling  himself  to  analyze  causes,  and 
without  a  feeling  of  envy  or  unkindness  of  any  sort,  while 
totally  exempt  from  any  undue  deference  or  unmanly  cring¬ 
ing,  he  quietly  submitted  to  let  things  take  their  course. 
His  wife  expressed  her  surprise  that  any  one  in  New  York 
should  presume  to  be  better  than  themselves ;  and  the 
remark  gave  rise  to  the  following  short  conversation  on  the 
very  morning  of  the  day  she  gave  the  party  to  which  we 
are  now  conducting  the  reader. 

‘  *  How  do  you  know,  my  dear,  that  any  one  does  think 
himself  our  better?  ”  demanded  the  husband. 

“  Why  do  they  not  all  visit  us,  then  ?  ” 

“Why  do  you  not  visit  everybody  yourself?  A  pretty 
household  we  should  have,  if  you  did  nothing  but  visit  every 
one  who  lives  even  in  this  street  !  ’  ’ 

“You  surely  would  not  have  me  visiting  the  grocers’ 
wives  at  the  corners,  and  all  the  other  rubbish  of  the  neigh¬ 
borhood  !  What  I  mean  is,  that  all  the  people  of  a  certain 


Ibome  as  jFoun6 


43 


sort  ought  to  visit  all  the  other  people  of  a  certain  sort,  in 
the  same  town.” 

“You  surely  will  make  an  exception,  at  least  on  account 
of  numbers.  I  saw  number  three  thousand  six  hundred 
and  fifty  this  very  day  on  a  cart,  and  if  the  wives  of  all 
these  carmen  should  visit  one  another,  each  would  have  to 
make  ten  visits  daily  in  order  to  get  through  with  the  list 
in  a  twelvemonth.” 

“  I  have  always  bad  luck  in  making  you  comprehend 
these  things,  Mr.  Jarvis.” 

“  I  am  afraid,  my  dear,  it  is  because  you  do  not  very 
clearly  comprehend  them  yourself.  You  first  say  that 
everybody  ought  to  visit  everybody,  and  then  you  insist  on 
it  you  will  visit  noneVbut  those  you  think  good  enough  to 
be  visited  by  Mrs.  Jared  Jarvis.” 

44  What  I  mean  is,  that  no  one  in  New  York  has  a  right 
to  think  himself,  or  herself,  better  than  ourselves.” 

‘  4  Better  ?  In  what  sense  better  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  In  such  a  sense  as  to  induce  them  to  think  themselves 
too  good  to  visit  us.” 

“That  may  be  your  opinion,  my  dear,  but  others  may 
judge  differently.  You  clearly  think  yourself  too  good  to 
visit  Mrs.  Onion,  the  grocer’s  wife,  who  is  a  capital  woman 
in  her  way  ;  and  how  do  we  know  that  certain  people  may 
not  fancy  we  are  not  quite  refined  enough  for  them  ?  Re¬ 
finement  is  a  positive  thing,  Mrs.  Jarvis,  and  one  that  has 
much  more  influence  on  the  pleasures  of  association  than 
money.  We  may  want  a  hundred  little  perfections  that 
escape  our  ignorance,  and  which  those  who  are  trained  to 
such  matters  deem  essentials.” 

4  4 1  never  met  with  a  man  of  so  little  social  spirit,  Mr. 
Jarvis  !  Really,  you  are  quite  unsuited  to  be  a  citizen  of  a 
republican  country.  ’  ’ 

Republican !  I  do  not  really  see  what  republican  has 
to  do  with  the  question.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  droll 
word  for  you  to  use,  in  this  sense  at  least ;  for,  taking  your 
own  meaning  of  the  term,  you  are  as  anti-republican  as  any 
woman  I  know.  But  a  republic  does  not  necessarily  infer 
equality  of  condition,  or  even  equality  of  rights — it  mean- 


44 


ibome  as  jfounb 


j  in g  merely  the  substitution  of  the  right  of  the  common¬ 
wealth  for  the  right  of  a  prince.  Had  you  said  a  democracy, 
there  would  have  been  some  plausibility  in  using  the  word, 
though  even  then  its  application  would  have  been  illogical. 
If  I  am  a  freeman  and  a  democrat,  I  hope  I  have  the  justice 
to  allow  others  to  be  j  ust  as  free  and  democratic  as  I  am 
\  myself.” 

^ ^  And  who  wishes  the  contrary  ?  All  I  ask  is  a  claim  to 
be  considered  a  fit  associate  for  anybody  in  this  country — 
in  these  United  States  of  America.” 

“  I  would  quit  these  United  States  of  America  next  week, 
if  I  thought  there  existed  any  necessity  for  such  an  intoler¬ 
able  state  of  things.” 

“  Mr.  Jarvis  !  and  you,  too,  one  of  the  Committee  of 
Tammany  Hall !  ” 

“Yes,  Mrs.  Jarvis,  and  I  one  of  the  Committee  of  Tam¬ 
many  Hall  !  What  !  Do  you  think  I  want  the  three  thou¬ 
sand  six  hundred  and  fifty  carmen  running  in  and  out  of  my 
house,  with  their  tobacco  saliva  and  pipes,  all  daylong  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  Who  is  thinking  of  your  carmen  and  grocers  !  I  speak 
now  only  of  genteel  people.” 

“In  other  words,  my  dear,  you  are  thinking  only  of 
those  whom  you  fancy  to  have  the  advantage  of  you,  and 
keep  those  who  think  of  you  in  the  same  way,  quite  out  of 
sight.  This  is  not  my  democracy  and  freedom.  I  believe 
that  it  requires  two  people  to  make  a  bargain  ;  and  although 

I  may  consent  to  dine  with  A - ,  if  A - will  not  consent 

to  dine  with  me,  there  is  an  end  of  the  matter.” 

“  Now,  you  have  come  to  a  case  in  point.  You  often 
dined  with  Mr.  Effingham  before  he  went  abroad,  and  yet 
you  would  never  allow  me  to  ask  Mr.  Effingham  to  dine 
with  us.  That  is  what  I  call  meanness.” 

“  It  might  be  so,  indeed,  if  it  were  done  to  save  my 
money.  I  dined  with  Mr.  Effingham  because  I  like  him  ; 
because  he  was  an  old  neighbor  ;  because  he  asked  me,  and 
becau.se  I  found  a  pleasure  in  the  quiet  elegance  of  his 
table  and  society ;  and  I  did  not  ask  him  to  dine  with  me, 
because  I  was  satisfied  he  would  be  better  pleased  with  such 
a  tacit  acknowledgment  of  his  superiority  in  this  respect, 


Ibome  as  founb 


45 


than  by  any  bustling  and  ungraceful  efforts  to  pay  him  in 
kind.  Edward  Effingham  has  dinners  enough  without 
keeping  a  debtor  and  credit  account  with  his  guests,  which 
is  rather  too  New  Yorkish,  even  for  me.” 

“Bustling  and  ungraceful!”  repeated  Mrs.  Jarvis,  bit¬ 
terly  ;  “  I  do  not  know  that  you  are  at  all  more  bustling  and 
ungraceful  than  Mr.  Effingham  himself.” 

“  No,  my  dear,  I  am  a  quiet,  unpretending  man,  like  the 
great  majority  of  my  countrymen,  thank  God.” 

“Then  why  talk  of  these  sorts  of  differences  in  a  country 
in  which  the  law  establishes  none?  ” 

“  For  precisely  the  reason  that  I  talk  of  the  river  at  the 
foot  of  this  street,  or  because  there  is  a  river.  A  thing  may 
exist  without  there  being  a  law  for  it.  There  is  no  law  for 
building  this  house,  and  yet  it  is  built.  There  is  no  law  for 
making  Dr.  Verse  a  better  preacher  than  Dr.  Prolix,  and  yet 
he  is  a  much  better  preacher  ;  neither  is  there  any  law  for 
making  Mr.  Effingham  a  more  finished  gentleman  than  I 
happen  to  be,  and  yet  I  am  not  fool  enough  to  deny  the 
fact.  In  the  way  of  making  out  a  bill  of  parcels,  I  will  not 
turn  my  back  to  him,  I  can  promise  j^ou.” 

All  this  strikes  me  as  being  very  spiritless,  and  as  par¬ 
ticularly  anti-republican,”  said  Mrs.  Jarvis,  rising  to  quit  the 
room  ;  “  and  if  the  Effinghams  do  not  come  this  evening,  I 
shall  not  enter  their  house  this  winter.  I  am  sure  they  have 
no  right  to  pretend  to  be  our  betters,  and  I  feel  no  disposi¬ 
tion  to  admit  the  impudent  claim.” 

“Before  you  go,  Jane,  let  me  say  a  parting  word,”  re¬ 
joined  the  husband,  looking  for  his  hat,  “  which  is  just  this. 
If  you  wish  the  world  to  believe  you  the  equal  of  any  one, 
no  matter  whom,  do  not  be  always  talking  about  it,  lest  they 
see  you  distrust  the  fact  yourself.  A  positive  thing  will 
surely  be  seen,  and  they  who  have  the  highest  claims  are  the 
least  disposed  to  be  always  pressing  them  on  the  attention  of 
the  world.  An  outrage  may  certainly  be  done  those  social 
rights  which  have  been  established  by  common  consent,  and 
then  it  may  be  proper  to  resent  it  :  but  beware  betraying  a 
consciousness  of  your  own  inferiority,  by  letting  every  one 
see  you  are  jealous  of  your  station.  Now,  kiss  me  ;  here  is 


A 

(A.'  ^ 


46 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


the  money  to  pay  for  your  finery  this  evening,  and  let  me  see 
you  as  happy  to  receive  Mrs.  Jewett  from  Albion  place,  as 
you  would  be  to  receive  Mrs.  Hawker  herself.” 

‘  ‘  Mrs.  Hawker  !  ’  ’  cried  the  wife,  with  a  toss  of  her  head, 
“  I  would  not  cross  the  street  to  invite  Mrs.  Hawker,  and 
all  her  clan,”  which  was  very  true,  as  Mrs.  Jarvis  was 
thoroughly  convinced  the  trouble  would  be  unavailing,  the 
lady  in  question  being  as  near  the  head  of  fashion  in  New 
York  as  it  was  possible  to  be  in  a  town  that,  in  a  moral 
sense,  resembles  an  encampment,  quite  as  much  as  it  resem¬ 
bles  a  permanent  and  a  long-existing  capital. 

Notwithstanding  a  great  deal  of  management  on  the  part 
of  Mrs.  Jarvis  to  get  showy  personages  to  attend  her  enter¬ 
tainment,  the  simple  elegance  of  the  two  carriages  that  bore 
the  Effingham  party  threw  all  the  other  equipages  into  the 
shade.  The  arrival,  indeed,  was  deemed  a  matter  of  so  much 
moment,  that  intelligence  was  conveyed  to  the  lady,  who 
was  still  at  her  post  in  the  inner  drawing-room,  of  the  ar¬ 
rival  of  a  party  altogether  superior  to  anything  that  had  yet 
appeared  in  her  rooms.  It  is  true,  this  was  not  expressed 
in  words,  but  it  was  made  sufficiently  obvious  by  the  breath¬ 
less  haste  and  the  air  of  importance  of  Mrs.  Jarvis’  sister, 
who  had  received  the  news  from  a  servant,  and  who  com¬ 
municated  it  proprici  persona  to  the  mistress  of  the  house. 

The  simple,  useful,  graceful,  almost  indispensable  usage 
of  announcing  at  the  door,  indispensable  to  those  who  re¬ 
ceive  much,  and  where  there  is  the  risk  of  meeting  people 
known  to  us  by  name  and  not  in  person,  is  but  little  prac¬ 
tised  in  America.  Mrs.  Jarvis  would  have  shrunk  from  such 
an  innovation,  had  she  known  that  elsewhere  the  custom 
prevailed,  but  she  was  in  happy  ignorance  on  this  point,  as 
on  many  others  that  were  more  essential  to  the  much-coveted 
social  eclat  at  which  she  aimed.  When  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville  appeared,  therefore,  walking  unsupported,  as  if  she  were 
out  of  leading-strings,  followed  by  Eve  and  Grace,  and  the 
gentlemen  of  their  party,  she  at  first  supposed  there  was  some 
mistake,  and  that  her  visitors  had  got  into  the  wrong 
house,  there  being  an  opposition  party  in  the  neighborhood. 

“What  brazen  people!”  whispered  Mrs.  Abijah  Gross, 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


47 


who  having  removed  from  an  interior  New  England  village, 
fully  two  years  previously,  fancied  herself  au  fait  of  all 
the  niceties  of  breeding  and  social  tact.  “  There  are  posi¬ 
tively  two  young  ladies  actually  walking  about  without 
gentlemen  !  ’  ’ 

But  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  Mrs.  Abijah  Gross,  with  her 
audible  whisper  and  obvious  sneer  and  laugh,  to  put  down 
two  such  lovely  creatures  as  Eve  and  her  cousin.  The  simple 
elegance  of  their  attire,  the  indescribable  air  of  polish,  par¬ 
ticularly  in  the  former,  and  the  surpassing  beauty  and  mod¬ 
esty  of  mien  of  both,  effectually  silenced  criticism,  after  this 
solitary  outbreaking  of  vulgarity.  Mrs.  Jarvis  recognized 
Eve  and  John  Effingham,  and  her  hurried  compliments 
and  obvious  delight  proclaimed  to  all  near  her  the  impor¬ 
tance  she  attached  to  their  visit.  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
she  had  not  recollected  in  her  present  dress,  and  even  she 
was  covered  with  expressions  of  delight  and  satisfaction. 

‘  ‘  I  wish  particularly  to  present  to  you  a  friend  that  we  all 
prize  exceedingly,”  said  Eve,  as  soon  as  there  was  an  op¬ 
portunity  of  speaking.  “This  is  Captain  Truck,  the  gentle¬ 
man  who  commands  the  Montauk,  the  ship  of  which  you 
have  heard  so  much.  Ah  !  Mr.  Jarvis,”  offering  a  hand  to 
him  with  sincere  cordiality,  for  Eve  had  known  him  from 
childhood,  and  always  sincerely  respected  him,  “you  will 
receive  my  friend  with  a  cordial  welcome,  I  am  certain.” 

She  then  explained  to  Mr.  Jarvis  who  the  honest  captain 
was,  when  the  former,  first  paying  the  proper  respect  to  his 
other  guests,  led  the  old  sailor  aside,  and  began  an  earnest 
conversation  on  the  subject  of  the  recent  passage. 

John  Effingham  presented  the  baronet,  whom  Mrs.  Jarvis, 
out  of  pure  ignorance  of  his  rank  in  his  own  country,  received 
with  perfect  propriety  and  self-respect. 

“  We  have  very  few  people  of  note  in  town  at  present,  I 
believe,”  said  Mrs.  Jarvis  to  John  Effingham.  “A  great 
traveller,  a  most  interesting  man,  is  the  only  person  of  that 
sort  I  could  obtain  for  this  evening,  and  I  shall  have  great 
pleasure  in  introducing  you.  He  is  there  in  that  crowd,  for 
he  is  in  the  greatest  possible  demand  ;  he  has  seen  so  much 
— Mrs.  Snow,  with  your  permission— really  the  ladies  are 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


48 


thronging  about  him  as  if  he  were  a  Pawnee, — have  the 
goodness  to  step  a  little  this  way,  Mr.  Effingham — Miss  Ef¬ 
fingham — Mrs.  Snow,  just  touch  his  arm  and  let  him  know 
I  wish  to  introduce  a  couple  of  friends.  Mr.  Dodge,  Mr. 
John  Effingham,  Miss  Effingham,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt.  I 
hope  you  may  succeed  in  getting  him  a  little  to  yourselves, 
ladies,  for  he  can  tell  you  all  about  Europe — saw  the  king 
of  France  riding  out  to  Nully,  and  has  a  prodigious  knowl¬ 
edge  of  things  on  the  other  side  of  the  water.” 

It  required  a  good  deal  of  Eve’s  habitual  self-command  to 
prevent  a  smile,  but  she  had  the  tact  and  discretion  to  receive 
Steadfast  as  an  utter  stranger.  John  Effingham  bowed  as 
haughtily  as  man  can  bow,  and  then  it  was  whispered  that 
he  and  Mr.  Dodge  were  rival  travellers.  The  distance  of 
the  former,  coupled  with  an  expression  of  countenance  that 
did  not  invite  familiarity,  drove  nearly  all  the  company  over 
to  the  side  of  Steadfast,  who,  it  was  soon  settled,  had  seen 
much  the  most  of  the  world,  understood  society  the  best,  and 
had  moreover  travelled  as  far  as  Timbuctoo  in  Africa.  The 
clie7itele  of  Mr.  Dodge  increased  rapidly,  as  these  reports 
spread  in  the  rooms,  and  those  who  had  not  read  the  “  de¬ 
lightful  letters  published  in  the  ‘  Active  Inquirer,’  ”  furiously 
envied  those  who  had  enj  oyed  that  high  advantage. 

‘‘It  is  Mr.  Dodge,  the  great  traveller,”  said  one  young 
lady,  who  had  extricated  herself  from  the  crowd  around  the 
“lion,”  and  taken  a  station  near  Eve  and  Grace,  and  who, 
moreover,  was  a  ‘  ‘  blue  ’  ’  in  her  own  set ;  “  his  beautiful  and 
accurate  descriptions  have  attracted  great  attention  in  Eng-  ■ 
land,  and  it  is  said  they  have  actually  been  republished  !  ” 

“  Have  you  read  them,  Miss  Brackett?” 

‘‘Not  the  letters  themselves  absolutely;  but  all  the  re¬ 
marks  on  them  in  the  last  week’s  ‘  Hebdomad.’  Most  de¬ 
lightful  letters,  judging  from  those  remarks  ;  full  of  nature 
and  point,  and  singularly  accurate  in  all  their  facts.  In 
this  respect  they  are  invaluable,  travellers  do  fall  into  such 
extraordinary  errors  !  ’  ’ 

‘‘I  hope,  ma’am,”  said  John  Effingham,  gravely,  ‘‘that 
the  gentleman  has  avoided  the  capital  mistake  of  comment¬ 
ing  on  things  that  actually  exist.  Comments  on  its  facts 


Iborne  as  ffounb 


49 


are  generally  esteemed  by  the  people  of  a  country  imperti¬ 
nent  and  unjust ;  and  your  true  way  to  succeed,  is  to  treat 
as  freely  as  possible  its  imaginary  peculiarities.  ’  ’ 

Miss  Brackett  had  nothing  to  answer  to  this  observation, 
the  “Hebdomad”  having,  among  its  other  profundities, 
never  seen  proper  to  touch  on  the  subject.  She  went  on 
praising  the  “  Letters,”  however,  not  one  of  which  had  she 
read,  or  would  she  read  ;  for  this  young  lady  had  contrived  to 
gain  a  high  reputation  in  her  own  coterie  for  taste  and  knowl¬ 


edge  in  books,  by  merely  skimming  the  strictures  of  those 
who  do  not  even  skim  the  works  they  pretend  to  analyze. 

Eve  had  never  before  been  in  so  close  contact  with  so 
much  flippant  ignorance,  and  she  could  not  but  wonder  at 
seeing  a  man  like  her  kinsman  overlooked,  in  order  that  a 
man  like  Mr.  Dodge  should  be  preferred.  All  this  gave 
John  Effingham  himself  no  concern,  but  retiring  a  little 


from  the  crowd,  he  entered  into  a  short  conversation  with 
the  young  baronet. 

“  I  should  like  to  know  your  real  opinions  of  this  set,”  he 
said  ;  ‘  ‘  not  that  I  plead  guilty  to  the  childish  sensibility  that 
is  so  common  in  all  provincial  circles  to  the  judgments  of 
strangers,  but  with  a  view  to  aid  you  in  forming  a  just 
estimate  of  the  real  state  of  the  country.  ’  ’ 

“  As  I  know  the  precise  connection  between  you  and  our 
host,  there  can  be  no  objection  to  giving  a  perfectly  frank 
reply.  The  women  strike  me  as  being  singularly  delicatex 
and  pretty  ;  well  dressed,  too,  I  might  add ;  but  while  there  f  j 
is  a  great  air  of  decency,  there  is  very  little  high  finish  ;  and  /  • 

what  strikes  me  as  being  quite  odd,  under  such  circum¬ 
stances,  scarcely  any  downright  vulgarity  or  coarseness/' 

A  Daniel  come  to  judgment  !  One  who  had  passed  a 
life  here  would  not  have  come  so  near  the  truth,  simpl)7-  be¬ 
cause  he  would  not  have  observed  peculiarities  that  require 
the  means  of  comparison  to  be  detected.  You  are  a  little  too 
indulgent  in  saying  there  is  no  downright  vulgarity ;  for 
some  there  is;  though  surprisingly  little  for  the  circum¬ 
stances.  But  of  the  coarseness  that  would  be  .so  prominent 
elsewhere,  there  is  hardly  any.  True,  so  great  is  the  equal¬ 
ity  in  all  things  in  this  country,  so  direct  the  tendency  to  this 


JWV. 


5° 


f>ome  as  jFounfc 


respectable  mediocrity,  that  what  you  now  see  here  to-night 
may  be  seen  in  almost  every  village  in  the  land,  with  a  few 
immaterial  exceptions  in  the  way  of  furniture  and  other  city 
appliances,  and  not  much  even  in  these.” 

“Certainly,  as  a  mediocrity  this  is  respectable,  though  a 
fastidious  taste  might  see  a  multitude  of  faults.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  should  not  say  that  the  taste  would  be  merely  fastid¬ 
ious,  for  much  is  wanting  that  would  add  to  the  grace  and 
beauty  of  society,  while  much  that  is  wanting  would  be 
missed  only  by  the  over-sophisticated.  These  young  men 
who  are  sniggering  over  some  bad  joke  in  the  comer,  for 
instance,  are  positively  vulgar,  as  is  that  young  lady  who  is 
indulging  in  practical  coquetry  ;  but,  on  the  whole,  there  is 
little  of  this ;  and  even  our  hostess,  a  silly  woman,  devoured 
with  the  desire  of  being  what  neither  her  social  position, 
education,  habits,  nor  notions  fit  her  to  be,  is  less  obtrusive, 
bustling,  and  offensive,  than  a  similar  person  elsewhere.” 

‘  ‘  I  am  quite  of  your  way  of  thinking,  and  intended  to  ask 
you  to  account  for  it.” 

“  The  Americans  are  an  imitative  people,  of  necessity, 
and  they  are  apt  at  this  part  of  imitation  in  particular. 
Then  they  are  less  artificial  in  all  their  practices  than  older 
and  more  sophisticated  nations  ;  and  this  company  has  got 
that  essential  part  of  good  breeding,  simplicity,  as  it  were 
perforce.  A  step  higher  in  the  social  scale  you  will  see 
less  of  it ;  for  greater  daring  and  bad  models  lead  to 
blunders  in  matters  that  require  to  be  exceedingly  well 
done,  if  done  at  all.  The  faults  here  would  be  more  appar¬ 
ent  by  an  approach  near  enough  to  get  into  the  tone  of 
mind,  the  forms  of  speech,  and  the  attempts  at  wit.” 

“Which  I  think  we  shall  escape  to-night,  as  I  see  the 
ladies  are  already  making  their  apologies  and  taking  leave. 
We  must  defer  this  investigation  to  another  time.” 

“  It  may  be  indefinitely  postponed,  as  it  would  scarcely 
reward  the  trouble  of  an  inquiry.” 

The  gentlemen  now  approached  Mrs.  Jarvis,  paid  their 
parting  compliments,  hunted  up  Captain  Truck,  whom  they 
tore  by  violence  from  the  good-natured  hospitality  of  the 
master  of  the  house,  and  then  saw  the  ladies  into  their  car- 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


51 


riage.  As  they  drove  off,  the  worthy  mariner  protested 
that  Mr^  Jarvis  was  one  of  the  honestest  men  he  had  ever 
met,  and  announced  that  he  intended  giving  him  a  dinner 
on  board  the  Montauk  the  very  next  day. 

The  dwelling  of  Mrs.  Hawker  was  in  Hudson  Square,  or 
in  a  portion  of  the  city  that  the  lovers  of  the  grandiose  are 
endeavoring  to  call  St.  John’s  Park  ;  for  it  is  rather  an 
amusing  peculiarity  among  a  certain  portion  of  the  emigrants 
who  have  flocked  into  the  Middle  States  within  the  last 
thirty  years,  that  they  are  not  satisfied  with  permitting  any 
family  or  thing  to  possess  the  name  it  originally  enjoyed,  if 
there  exists  the  least  opportunity  to  change  it.  There  was 
but  a  carriage  or  two  before  the  door,  though  the  strong 
lights  in  the  house  showed  that  the  company  had  collected. 

“  Mrs.  Hawker  is  the  widow  and  the  daughter  of  men 
of  long  established  New  York  families  ;  she  is  childless, 
affluent,  and  universally  respected  where  known,  for  her 
breeding,  benevolence,  good  sense,  and  heart,”  said  John 
Effingham,  while  the  party  was  driving  from  one  house  to 
the  other.  “  Were  you  to  go  into  most  of  the  sets  of  this 
town  and  mention  Mrs.  Hawker’s  name,  not  one  person  in 
ten  would  know  that  there  is  such  a  being  in  their  vicinity  ; 
the  pele  mele  of  a  migratory  population  keeping  persons  of 
her  character  and  condition  of  life  quite  out  of  view.  The 
very  persons  who  will  prattle  by  the  hour  of  the  establish¬ 
ments  of  Mrs.  Peleg  Pond,  and  Mrs.  Jonah  Twist,  and  Mrs. 
Abiram  Wattles,  people  who  first  appeared  on  this  island 
five  or  six  years  since,  and  who,  having  accumulated  what 
to  them  are  relatively  large  fortunes,  have  launched  out 
into  vulgar  and  uninstructed  finery,  would  look  with  sur¬ 
prise  at  hearing  Mrs.  Hawker  mentioned  as  one  having  any 
claims  to  social  distinction.  Her  historical  names  are  over¬ 
shadowed  in  their  minds  by  the  parochial  glories  of  certain 
local  prodigies  in  the  townships  whence  they  emigrated  ; 
her  manners  would  puzzle  the  comprehension  of  people 
whose  imitation  has  not  gone  beyond  the  surface  ;  and  her 
polished  and  simple  mind  would  find  little  sympathy  among 
a  class  who  seldom  rise  above  a  commonplace  .sentiment 
without  getting  upon  stilts.  ’  ’ 


52 


Ifoome  as  tfounb 


“Mrs.  Hawker,  then,  is  a  lady?”  observed  Sir  George 
Templemore. 

‘  ‘  Mrs.  Hawker  is  a  lady  in  every  sense  of  the  word  ;  by 
position,  education,  manners,  association,  mind,  fortune,  and 
birth.  I  do  not  know  that  we  ever  had  more  of  her  class 
than  exist  to-day,  but  certainly  we  once  had  them  more 
prominent  in  society.” 

“I  suppose,  sir,”  said  Captain  Truck,  “that  this  Mrs. 
Hawker  is  of  what  is  called  the  old  school  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Of  a  very  ancient  school,  and  one  that  is  likely  to  con¬ 
tinue,  though  it  may  not  be  generally  attended.” 

“  I  am  afraid,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  that  I  shall  be  like  a 
fish  out  of  water  in  such  a  house.  I  can  get  along  very 
well  with  your  Mrs.  Jarvis,  and  with  the  dear  young  lady 
in  the  other  carriage  ;  but  the  sort  of  woman  you  have 
described  will  be  apt  to  jam  a  plain  mariner  like  myself. 
What  in  nature  should  I  do,  now,  if  she  should  ask  me  to 
dance  a  minuet  ?  ’  ’ 

“Dance  it  agreeably  to  the  laws  of  nature,”  returned 
John  Effingham,  as  the  carriage  stopped. 

A  respectable,  quiet,  and  an  aged  black  admitted  the 
party,  though  even  he  did  not  announce  the  visitors,  while 
he  held  the  door  of  the  drawing-room  open  for  them  with 
respectful  attention.  Mrs.  Hawker  arose  and  advanced  to 
meet  Eve  and  her  companions,  and  though  she  kissed  the 
cousins  affectionately,  her  reception  of  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville  was  so  simply  polite  as  to  convince  the  latter  she 
was  valued  on  account  of  her  services.  John  Effingham,  who 
was  ten  or  fifteen  years  the  junior  of  the  old  lady,  gallantly 
kissed  her  hand,  when  he  presented  his  two  male  com¬ 
panions.  After  paying  proper  attention  to  the  greatest 
stranger,  Mrs.  Hawker  turned  to  Captain  Truck  and  said, — 

“  This,  then,  is  the  gentleman  to  whose  skill  and  courage 
you  all  owe  so  much — we  all  owe  so  much,  I  might  better 
have  said — the  commander  of  the  Montauk  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  have  the  honor  of  commanding  that  vessel,  ma’am,” 
returned  Captain  Truck,  who  was  singularly  awed  by  the 
dignified  simplicity  of  his  hostess,  although  her  quiet,  nat¬ 
ural,  and  yet  finished  manner,  which  extended  even  to  the 


Ibonte  as  jfounb 


53 


intonation  of  the  voice  and  the  smallest  movement,  were 
as  unlike  what  he  had  expected  as  possible,  ‘  ‘  and  with  such 
passengers  as  she  had  last  voyage,  I  can  only  say  it  is  a 
pity  that  she  is  not  better  off  for  one  to  take  care  of  her.” 

“  Your  passengers  give  a  different  account  of  the  matter  ; 
but  in  order  that  I  may  judge  impartially,  do  me  the  favor 
to  take  this  chair,  and  let  me  learn  a  few  of  the  particulars 
from  yourself.  ’  ’ 

Observing  that  Sir  George  Templemore  had  followed 
Eve  to  the  other  side  of  the  room,  Mrs.  Hawker  now 
resumed  her  seat,  and  without  neglecting  any  to  attend  to 
one  in  particular,  or  attending  to  one  in  any  way  to  make 
him  feel  oppressed,  she  contrived  in  a  few  minutes  to  make 
the  captain  forget  all  about  the  minuet,  and  to  feel  much 
more  at  his  ease  than  would  have  been  the  case  with  Mrs. 
Jarvis  in  a  month’s  intercourse. 

In  the  meantime  Eve  had  crossed  the  room  to  join  a 
lady  whose  smile  invited  her  to  her  side.  This  was  a 
young,  slightly  framed  female,  of  pleasing  countenance, 
but  who  would  not  have  been  particularly  distinguished  in 
such  a  place  for  personal  charms.  Still  her  smile  was  sweet, 
her  eyes  were  soft,  and  the  expression  of  her  face  was  what 
might  almost  be  called  illuminated.  As  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  followed  her,  Eve  mentioned  his  name  to  her  acquaint¬ 
ance,  whom  she  addressed  as  Mrs.  Bloomfield. 

“You  are  bent  on  perpetrating  further  gayety  to-night,” 
said  the  latter,  glancing  at  the  ball  dresses  of  the  two 
cousins.  “Are  you  in  the  colors  of  the  Houston  faction 
or  in  those  of  the  Peabody  ?  ” 

“  Not  in  pea-green,  certainly,”  returned  Eve,  laughing, 
“  as  you  may  see  ;  but  in  simple  white.” 

“You  intend  then  to  be  ‘  led  a  measure  ’  at  Mrs.  Houston’s. 
It  were  more  suitable  than  among  the  other  faction.” 

“  Is  fashion,  then,  faction,  in  New  York?”  inquired  Sir 
George. 

“Fractions  would  be  a  better  word,  perhaps;  but  we 
have  parties  in  almost  everything  in  America — in  politics, 
religion,  temperance,  speculations,  and  taste.  Why  not  in 
fashion  ?  ’  ’ 


54 


Ibonte  as  jfounfc 


“  I  fear  we  are  not  quite  independent  enough  to  form 
parties  on  such  a  subject,”  said  Eve. 

“  Perfectly  well  said,  Miss  Effingham.  One  must  think 
a  little  originally,  let  it  be  ever  so  falsely,  in  order  to  get 
up  a  fashion.  I  fear  we  shall  have  to  admit  our  insignifi¬ 
cance  on  this  point.  You  are  a  late  arrival,  Sir  George 
Tempi emore  ?  ’  ’ 

As  lately  as  the  commencement  of  this  month.  I  had 
the  honor  of  being  a  fellow-passenger  with  Mr.  Effingham 
and  his  family.” 

“  In  which  voyage  you  suffered  shipwreck,  captivity,  and 
famine,  if  half  we  hear  be  true.” 

Report  has  a  little  magnified  our  risks.  We  encoun¬ 
tered  some  serious  dangers,  but  nothing  amounting  to  the 
sufferings  you  have  mentioned.  ’  ’ 

Being  a  married  woman,  and  having  reached  the  crisis 
in  which  deception  is  not  practised,  I  expect  to  hear  truth 
again,”  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  smiling.  “  I  trust,  however, 
you  underwent  enough  to  qualify  you  all  for  heroes  and 
heroines,  and  shall  content  myself  with  knowing  that  you 
are  here,  .safe  and  happy  ;  if,”  she  added,  looking  inquiringly 
at  Eve,  ‘  ‘  one  who  has  been  educated  abroad  can  be  happy 
at  home.” 

One  educated  abroad  may  be  happy  at  home,  though 
possibly  not  in  the  modes  most  practised  by  the  world,” 
said  Eve,  firmly. 

“Without  an  opera,  without  a  court,  almost  without 
society  !  ’  ’ 

An  opera  would  be  desirable,  I  confess.  Of  courts  I 
know  nothing,  unmarried  females  being  ciphers  in  Europe, 
and  I  hope  better  things  than  to  think  I  shall  be  without 
society.” 

“Unmarried  females  are  considered  ciphers  too,  here, 
provided  there  be  enough  of  them,  with  a  good  respectable 
digit  at  their  head.  I  assure  you  no  one  quarrels  with  the 
ciphers  under  such  circumstances.  I  think,  Sir  George 
Templemore,  a  town  like  this  must  be  something  of  a 
paradox  to  you.” 

“  Might  I  venture  to  inquire  the  reason  for  this  opinion?  ” 


1 borne  as  ffounfc 


55 


“  Merely  because  it  is  neither  one  thing  nor  another. 
Not  a  capital,  nor  yet  merely  a  provincial  place,  with  some¬ 
thing  more  than  commerce  in  its  bosom,  and  yet  with  that 
something  hidden  under  a  bushel.  A  good  deal  more  than 
Liverpool,  and  a  good  deal  less  than  London.  Better  even 
than  Edinburgh  in  many  respects,  and  worse  than  Wapping 
in  others.” 

“You  have  been  abroad,  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ?  ” 

“  Not  a  foot  out  of  my  own  country  ;  scarcely  a  foot  out 
of  my  own  State.  I  have  been  at  Lake  George,  the  Falls, 
and  the  Mountain  House,  and  as  one  does  not  travel  in  a 
balloon,  I  saw  some  of  the  intermediate  places.  As  for  all 
else,  I  am  obliged  to  go  by  report.  ’  ’ 

“It  is  a  pity  Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  not  with  us  this  even¬ 
ing  at  Mrs.  Jarvis’,”  said  Eve,  laughing.  “  She  might  then 
have  increased  her  knowledge  by  listening  to  a  few  cantos 
from  the  epic  of  Mr.  Dodge.” 

“  I  have  glanced  at  some  of  that  author’s  wisdom,”  re¬ 
turned  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  “  but  I  soon  found  it  was  learning 
backwards.  There  is  a  never-failing  rule  by  which  it  is 
easy  to  arrive  at  a  traveller’s  worth,  in  a  negative  sense  at 
least.” 

“That  is  a  rule  which  may  be  worth  knowing,”  said 
the  baronet,  “as  it  would  save  much  useless  wear  of  the 
eyes.  ’  ’ 

“When  one  betrays  a  profound  ignorance  of  his  own 
country,  it  is  a  fair  presumption  that  he  cannot  be  very 
active  in  his  observation  of  strangers.  Mr.  Dodge  is  one  of 
these  writers,  and  a  single  letter  fully  satisfied  my  curiosity. 
I  fear,  Miss  Effingham,  very  inferior  wares  in  the  way  of 
manners  have  been  lately  imported  in  large  quantities  into 
this  country,  as  having  the  Tower  mark  on  them.” 

Eve  laughed,  but  declared  that  Sir  George  Templemore 
was  better  qualified  than  herself  to  answer  such  a  question. 

“We  are  said  to  be  a  people  of  facts,  rather  than  a  peo¬ 
ple  of  theories,”  continued  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  without  attend¬ 
ing  to  the  reference  of  the  young  lady,  “  and  any  coin  that 
offers,  passes  until  another  that  is  better  arrives.  It  is  a 
singular  but  a  very  general  mistake,  I  believe,  of  the  people 


56 


Borne  as  tfomh 


of  this  country,  in  supposing  that  they  can  exist  under  the 
present  regime ,  when  others  would  fail,  because  their  opin¬ 
ions  keep  even  pace  with,  or  precede  the  actual  condition 
of  society ;  whereas,  those  who  have  thought  and  observed 
most  on  such  subjects,  agree  in  thinking  the  very  reverse 
of  the  case.'” 

This  would  be  a  curious  condition  for  a  government  so 
purely  conventional,”  observed  Sir  George  with  interest, 
and  it  certainly  is  entirely  opposed  to  the  state  of  things 
all  over  Europe.” 

“It  is  so,  and  yet  there  is  no  great  mystery  in  it  after 
all.  Accident  has  liberated  us  from  trammels  that  still 
fetter  you.  We  are  like  a  vehicle  on  the  top  of  a  hill, 
which,  the  moment  it  is  pushed  beyond  the  point  of  re¬ 
sistance,  rolls  down  of  itself,  without  the  aid  of  horses. 
One  may  follow  with  the  team  and  hook  on  when  it  gets  to 
the  bottom,  but  there  is  no  such  thing  as  keeping  company 
with  it  until  it  arrives  there.” 

“  You  will  allow,  then,  that  there  is  a  bottom  ?  ” 

“There  is  a  bottom  to  everything — to  good  and  bad; 
happiness  and  misery  ;  hope,  fear,  faith,  and  charity  ;  even 
to  a  woman’s  mind,  which  I  have  sometimes  fancied  the 
most  bottomless  thing  in  nature.  There  may,  therefore, 
well  be  a  bottom  even  to  the  institutions  of  America.” 

Sir  George  listened  with  the  interest  with  which  an 
Englishman  of  his  class  always  endeavors  to  catch  a  con¬ 
cession  that  he  fancies  is  about  to  favor  his  own  political 
predilections,  and  he  felt  encouraged  to  push  the  subject 
further. 

“  And  you  think  that  the  political  machine  is  rolling 
downwards  towards  this  bottom?  ”  he  said,  with  an  interest 
in  the  answer  that,  living  in  the  quiet  and  forgetfulness  of 
his  own  home,  he  would  have  laughed  at  himself  for  enter¬ 
taining.  But  our  sensibilities  become  quickened  by  collision, 
and  opposition  is  known  even  to  create  love. 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  quick-witted,  intelligent,  cultivated, 
and  shrewd.  She  saw  the  motive  at  a  glance,  and,  not¬ 
withstanding  she  saw  and  felt  all  its  abuses,  strongly  at¬ 
tached  to  the  governing  principle  of  her  country’s  social 


Dome  as  jfounft 


57 


organization,  as  is  almost  universally  the  case  with  the 
strongest  minds  and  most  generous  hearts  of  the  nation,  she 
was  not  disposed  to  let  a  stranger  carry  awTay  a  false  impres¬ 
sion  of  her  sentiments  on  such  a  point. 

“Did  you  ever  study  logic,  Sir  George  Templemore?” 
.she  asked  archly. 

“A  little,  though  not  enough  I  fear  to  influence  my 
mode  of  reasoning,  or  even  to  leave  me  familiar  with  the 
terms.” 

“  Oh  !  I  am  not  about  to  assail  you  with  sequiturs  and 
non-sequiturs ,  dialectics,  and  all  the  mysteries  of  Denk- 
Lehre,  but  simply  to  remind  you  there  is  such  a  thing  as  the 
bottom  of  a  subject.  When  I  tell  you  we  are  flying  towards 
the  bottom  of  our  institutions,  it  is  in  the  intellectual  sense, 
and  not,  as  you  have  erroneously  imagined,  in  an  unintel- 
lectual  sense.  I  mean  that  we  are  getting  to  understand 
them,  which  I  fear  we  did  not  absolutely  do  at  the  com¬ 
mencement  of  the  ‘  experiment.  ’  ’  ’ 

“  But  I  think  you  will  admit,  that  as  the  civilization  of 
the  country  advances,  some  material  changes  must  occur  ; 
your  people  cannot  always  remain  stationary  ;  they  must 
either  go  backward  or  forward.” 

“Up  or  down,  if  3^ou  will  allow  me  to  correct  your 
phraseology.  The  civilization  of  the  country,  in  one  sense 
at  least,  is  retrogressive,  and  the  people,  as  they  cannot  ‘  go 
up,’  betray  a  disposition  to  ‘  go  down.’  ” 

“  You  deal  in  enigmas,  and  I  am  afraid  to  think  I  under¬ 
stand  you.” 

“  I  mean,  merely,  that  gallows  are  fast  disappearing,  and 
that  the  people — le  peuple ,  you  will  understand — begin  to 
accept  money.  In  both  particulars,  I  think  there  is  a  sensi¬ 
ble  change  for  the  worse,  within  my  own  recollection.” 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  then  changed  her  manner,  and  from 
using  that  light-hearted  gayety  with  which  she  often  ren¬ 
dered  her  conversation  piquante ,  and  even  occasionally 
brilliant,  she  became  more  grave  and  explicit.  The  subject 
soon  turned  to  that  of  punishments,  and  few  men  could 
have  reasoned  more  sensibly,  justly,  or  forcibly,  on  such  a 
subject,  than  this  slight  and  fragile-looking  young  woman. 


53 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


Without  the  least  pedantry,  with  a  beauty  of  language  that 
the  other  sex  seldom  attains,  and  with  a  delicacy  of  dis¬ 
crimination  and  a  sentiment  that  were  strictly  feminine,  she 
rendered  a  theme  interesting,  that,  however  important  in 
itself,  is  forbidding,  veiling  all  its  odious  and  revolting 
features  in  the  refinement  and  finesse  of  her  own  polished 
mind. 

Eve  could  have  listened  all  night,  and,  at  every  syllable 
that  fell  from  the  lips  of  her  friend,  she  felt  a  glow  of 
triumph  ;  for  she  was  proud  of  letting  an  intelligent  for¬ 
eigner  see  that  America  did  contain  women  worthy  to  be 
ranked  with  the  best  of  other  countries — a  circumstance 
that  they  who  merely  frequented  what  is  called  the  world, 
she  thought  might  be  reasonably  justified  in  distrusting. 
In  one  respect,  she  even  fancied  Mrs.  Bloomfield’s  knowl¬ 
edge  and  cleverness  superior  to  those  which  she  had  so  often 
admired  in  her  own  sex  abroad.  It  was  untrammelled, 
equally  by  the  prejudices  incident  to  a  fictitious  condition 
of  society,  or  by  their  reaction  ;  two  circumstances  that 
often  obscured  the  sense  and  candor  of  those  to  whom  she 
had  so  often  listened  with  pleasure  in  other  countries.  The 
singularly  feminine  tone,  too,  of  all  that  Mrs.  Bloomfield 
said  or  thought,  while  it  lacked  nothing  in  strength,  added 
to  the  charm  of  her  conversation,  and  increased  the  pleasure 
of  those  that  listened. 

‘  ‘  Is  the  circle  large,  to  which  Mrs.  Hawker  and  her 
friends  belong?  ”  asked  Sir  George,  as  he  assisted  Eve  and 
Grace  to  cloak,  when  they  had  taken  leave.  “  A  town 
which  can  boast  of  half  a  dozen  such  houses  need  not  accuse 
itself  of  wanting  society.” 

“Ah!  there  is  but  one  Mrs.  Hawker  in  New  York,” 
answered  Grace,  “and  not  many  Mrs.  Bloomfields  in  the 
world.  It  would  be  too  much  to  say  we  have  even  half  a 
dozen  such  houses.” 

“  Have  you  not  been  struck  with  the  admirable  tone  of 
this  drawing-room  ?  ’  ’  half  whispered  Eve.  ‘  ‘  It  may  want 
a  little  of  that  lofty  ease  that  one  sees  among  the  better  por¬ 
tion  of  the  old  princesses  et  duchesses,  which  is  a  relic  of  a 
school  that  it  is  to  be  feared  is  going  out  ;  but  in  its  place 


Ifoome  as  jfounfc 


59 


there  is  a  winning  nature,  with  as  much  dignity  as  is  neces¬ 
sary,  and  a  truth  that  gives  us  confidence  in  the  sincerity  of 
those  around  us.” 

“Upon  my  word,  I  think  Mrs.  Hawker  quite  fit  for  a 
duchess.” 

“You  mean  a  duchesse ,”  said  Eve,  “  and  yet  she  is  with¬ 
out  the  manner  that  we  understand  by  such  a  word.  Mrs. 
Hawker  is  a  lady,  and  there  can  be  no  higher  term.” 

“She  is  a  delightful  old  woman,”  cried  John  Effingham, 
“  and  if  twenty  years  younger  and  disposed  to  change  her 
condition,  I  should  really  be  afraid  to  enter  the  house.” 

“  My  dear  sir,”  put  in  the  captain,  “  I  would  make  her 
Mrs.  Truck  to-morrow,  and  say  nothing  of  years,  if  she 
could  be  content  to  take  up  with  such  an  offer.  Why,  sir, 
she  is  no  woman,  but  a  saint  in  petticoats  !  I  felt  the  whole 
time  as  if  talking  to  my  own  mother,  and  as  for  ships,  she 
knows  more  about  them  than  I  do  !  ” 

The  whole  party  laughed  at  the  strength  of  the  captain’s 
admiration,  and,  getting  into  carriages,  proceeded  to  the  last 
of  the  houses  they  intended  visiting  that  night. 


CHAPTER  V. 

“  So  turns  she  every  man  the  wrong  side  out 
And  never  gives  to  truth  and  virtue,  that 
Which  simpleness  and  merit  purchase th.” 

Much  Ado  About  Nothing. 

MRS.  HOUSTON  was  what  is  termed  a  fashionable 
woman  in  New  York.  She,  too,  was  of  a  family 
of  local  note,  though  of  one  much  less  elevated 
in  the  olden  time  than  that  of  Mrs.  Hawker. 
Still  her  claims  were  admitted  by  the  most  fastidious  on  such 
points,  for  a  few  do  remain  who  think  descent  indispensable 
to  gentility  ;  and  as  her  means  were  ample  and  her  tastes 
perhaps  superior  to  those  of  most  around  her,  she  kept  what 
was  thought  a  house  of  better  tone  than  common  even  in  the 
highest  circle.  Eve  had  but  a  slight  acquaintance  with  her  ; 
but  in  Grace’s  eyes,  Mrs.  Houston’s  was  the  place  of  all 
others  that  she  thought  might  make  a  favorable  impression 
on  her  cousin.  Her  wish  that  this  should  prove  to  be  the 
case  was  so  strong,  that,  as  they  drove  towards  the  door,  she 
could  not  forbear  from  making  an  attempt  to  prepare  Eve 
for  what  she  was  to  meet. 

“  Although  Mrs.  Houston  has  a  very  large  house  for  New 
York,  and  lives  in  a  uniform  style,  you  are  not  to  expect 
antechambers  and  vast  suites  of  rooms,  Eve,”  said  Grace  ; 
“  such  as  you  have  been  accustomed  to  see  abroad.” 

“  It  is  not  necessary,  my  dear  cousin,  to  enter  a  house  of 
four  or  five  windows  in  front,  to  see  it  is  not  a  house  of 
twenty  or  thirty.  I  should  be  very  unreasonable  to  expect 
an  Italian  palazzo  or  a  Parisian  hotel  in  this  good  town.” 
“We  are  not  old  enough  for  that  yet,  Eve ;  a  hundred 


ibome  as  jfounb 


6 1 


years  hence,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  such  things  may  exist 
here.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Bien  stir.  C  est  naturel.  ’  ’ 

“  A  hundred  years  hence,  as  the  world  tends,  Grace,  they 
are  not  likely  to  exist  anywhere,  except  as  taverns,  or  hos¬ 
pitals,  or  manufactories.  But  what  have  we  to  do,  coz,  with 
a  century  ahead  of  us  ?  Young  as  we  both  are,  we  cannot 
hope  to  live  that  time.” 

Grace  would  have  been  puzzled  to  account  satisfactorily 
to  herself  for  the  strong  desire  she  felt  that  neither  of  her 
companions  should  expect  to  see  such  a  house  as  their  senses 
so  plainly  told  them  did  not  exist  in  the  place  ;  but  her  foot 
moved  in  the  bottom  of  the  carriage,  for  she  was  not  half 
satisfied  with  her  cousin’s  answer. 

“  All  I  mean,  Eve,”  she  said,  after  a  pause,  “  is,  that  one 
ought  not  to  expect,  in  a  town  as  new  as  this,  the  improve¬ 
ments  that  one  sees  in  an  older  state  of  society.” 

“  And  have  Mademoiselle  Viefville  or  I  ever  been  so  weak 
as  to  suppose  that  New  York  is  Paris,  or  Rome,  or  Vienna  ?  ” 

Grace  was  still  less  satisfied,  for,  unknown  to  herself,  she 
had  hoped  that  Mrs.  Houston’s  ball  might  be  quite  equal  to 
a  ball  in  either  of  those  ancient  capitals  ;  and  she  was  now 
vexed  that  her  cousin  considered  it  so  much  a  matter  of 
course  that  it  should  not  be.  But  there  was  no  time  for 
explanations,  as  the  carriage  now  stopped. 

The  noise,  confusion,  calling  out,  swearing,  and  rude 
clamor  before  the  house  of  Mrs.  Houston,  said  little  for  the 
out-door  part  of  the  arrangements.  Coachmen  are  nowhere 
a  particularly  silent  and  civil  class  ;  but  the  uncouth  Euro¬ 
pean  peasants  who  have  been  preferred  to  the  honors  of  the 
whip  in  New  York,  to  the  usual  feelings  of  competition 
and  contention,  added  that  particular  feature  of  humility 
which  is  known  to  distinguish  “  the  beggar  on  horseback.” 
The  imposing  equipages  of  our  party,  however,  had  that 
effect  on  most  of  these  rude  brawlers,  which  a  display  of 
wealth  is  known  to  produce  on  the  vulgar-minded  ;  and  the 
ladies  got  into  the  house  through  a  lane  of  coachmen,  by 
yielding  a  little  to  a  chevaux-de-frise  of  whips,  without  any 
serious  calamity. 


62 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


“One  hardly  knows  which  is  the  most  terrific,”  said  Eve, 
involuntarily,  as  soon  as  the  door  closed  on  them — “the 
noise  within  or  the  noise  without !  ” 

This  was  spoken  rapidly,  and  in  French,  to  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  but  Grace  heard  and  understood  it,  and  for  the  first 
time  in  her  life  she  perceived  that  Mrs.  Houston’s  company 
was  not  composed  of  nightingales.  The  surprise  is,  that  the 
discovery  should  have  come  so  late. 

“Iam  delighted  at  having  got  into  this  house,”  said  Sir 
George,  who,  having  thrown  his  cloak  to  his  own  servant, 
stood  with  the  two  other  gentlemen  waiting  the  descent  of 
the  ladies  from  the  upper  room,  where  the  bad  arrangements 
of  the  house  compelled  them  to  uncloak  and  to  put  aside  their 
shawls,  “  as  I  am  told  it  is  the  best  house  in  town  to  see  the 
other  sex.” 

“  To  hear  them,  would  be  nearer  the  truth,  perhaps,”  re¬ 
turned  John  Effingham.  “As  for  pretty  women,  one  can 
hardly  go  amiss  in  New  York  ;  and  your  ears  now  tell  you 
that  they  do  not  come  into  the  world  to  be  seen  only.” 

The  baronet  smiled,  but  he  was  too  well  bred  to  contra¬ 
dict  or  to  assent.  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  unconscious  that 
she  was  violating  the  proprieties,  walked  into  the  rooms  by 
herself,  as  soon  as  she  descended,  followed  by  Eve,  but  Grace 
shrank  to  the  side  of  John  Effingham,  whose  arm  she  took 
as  a  step  necessary  even  to  decorum. 

Mrs.  Houston  received  her  guests  with  ease  and  dignity. 
She  was  one  of  those  females  that  the  American  world  calls 
gay  ;  in  other  words,  she  opened  her  own  house  to  a  very 
promiscuous  society,  ten  or  a  dozen  times  in  a  winter,  and 
accepted  the  greater  part  of  the  invitations  she  got  to  other 
people’s.  Still,  in  most  other  countries,  as  a  fashionable 
woman,  she  would  have  been  esteemed  a  model  of  devotion 
to  the  duties  of  a  wife  and  a  mother,  for  she  paid  a  personal 
attention  to  her  household,  and  had  actually  taught  all  her 
children  the  Lord’s  Prayer,  the  creed,  and  the  ten  command¬ 
ments.  She  attended  church  twice  every  Sunday,  and  only 
stayed  at  home  from  the  evening  lectures  that  the  domestics 
might  have  the  opportunity  of  going  (which,  by  the  way, 
they  never  did)  in  her  stead.  Feminine,  well  mannered, 


ibome  as  ffounb 


^3 


rich,  pretty,  of  a  very  positive  social  condition,  and  naturally 
kind-hearted  and  disposed  to  sociability,  Mrs.  Houston,  sup¬ 
ported  by  an  indulgent  husband,  who  so  much  loved  to  see 
people  with  the  appearance  of  happiness,  that  he  was  not 
particular  as  to  the  means,  had  found  no  difficulty  in  rising 
to  the  pinnacle  of  fashion,  and  of  having  her  name  in  the 
mouths  of  all  those  who  find  it  necessary  to  talk  of  some- 


bodies,  in  order  that  they  may  seem  to  be  somebodies  them- 
-seTves.  All  this  contributed  to  Mrs.  Houston’s  happiness, 
or  she  fancied  it  did  ;  and  as  every  passion  is  known  to  in¬ 
crease  by  indulgence,  she  had  insensibly  gone  on  in  her 
much-envied  career,  until,  as  has  just  been  said,  she  reached 
the  summit. 

“  These  rooms  are  very  crowded,”  said  Sir  George,  glanc« 
ing  his  eyes  around  two  very  pretty  little  narrow  drawings 
rooms  that  were  beautifully,  not  to  say  richly  furnished ; 
‘  ‘  one  wonders  that  the  same  contracted  style  of  building 
should  be  so  very  general  in  a  town  that  increases  as  rapidly 
as  this,  and  where  fashion  has  no  fixed  abode,  and  land  is 
so  abundant.” 

‘  ‘  Mrs.  Bloomfield  would  tell  you,  ’  ’  said  Eve,  ‘  ‘  that  these 
houses  are  types  of  the  social  state  of  the  country,  in  which 
no  one  is  permitted  to  occupy  more  than  his  share  of 
ground.” 

‘  ‘  But  there  are  reasonably  large  dwellings  in  the  place. 
Mrs.  Hawker  has  a  good  house,  and  your  father’s,  for  in¬ 
stance,  would  be  thought  so  too,  in  London  even  ;  and  yet 
I  fancy  you  will  agree  with  me  in  thinking  that  a  good  room 
is  almost  unknown  in  New  York.” 

‘  ‘  I  do  agree  with  you  in  this  particular,  certainly  ;  for  to 
meet  with  a  good  room  one  must  go  into  the  houses  built 
thirty  years  ago.  We  have  inherited  these  snuggeries,  how¬ 
ever,  England  not  having  much  to  boast  of  in  the  way  of 
houses.” 

“  In  the  way  of  town  residences  I  agree  with  you  entirely, 
as  a  whole,  though  we  have  some  capital  exceptions.  Still 
I  do  not  think  we  are  quite  as  compact  as  this  ;  do  you  not 
fancy  the  noise  increased  in  consequence  of  its  being  so 
confined  ?  ’  ’ 


6  4 


ibome  as  jfounb 


Eve  laughed,  and  shook  her  head  quite  positively. 

‘  ‘  What  would  it  be  if  fairly  let  out !  ’  ’  she  said.  ‘  ‘  But 
we  will  not  waste  the  precious  moments,  but  turn  our  eyes 
about  us  in  quest  of  the  belles.  Grace,  you  who  are  so 
much  at  home,  must  be  our  cicerone,  and  tell  us  which  are 
the  idols  we  are  to  worship.” 

Dites  moi  premierement  que  veut  dire  une  belle  a  New 
York?"  demanded  Mademoiselle  Viefville.  “  Appar em¬ 
inent,  tout  le  monde  est  joli.  ’  ’ 

“A  belle,  Mademoiselle,”  returned  John  Effingham,  “is 
not  necessarily  beautiful,  the  qualifications  for  the  character 
being  various  and  a  little  contradictory.  One  may  be  a 
belle  by  means  of  money,  a  tongue,  an  eye,  a  foot,  teeth,  a 
laugh,  or  any  other  separate  feature  or  grace  ;  though  no 
woman  was  ever  yet  a  belle,  I  believe,  by  means  of  the  head, 
considered  collectively.  But  why  deal  in  description  when 
the  thing  itself  confronts  us?  The  young  lady  standing 
directly  before  us  is  a  belle  of  the  most  approved  stamp  and 
silvery  tone.  Is  it  not  Miss  Ring,  Grace  ?  ” 

The  answer  was  in  the  affirmative,  and  the  eyes  of  the 
whole  party  turned  towards  the  subject  of  this  remark. 
The  young  lady  in  question  was  about  twenty,  rather  tall 
for  an  American  woman,  not  conspicuously  handsome,  but, 
like  most  around  her,  of  delicate  features  and  frame,  and 
with  such  a  physique  as,  under  proper  training,  would  have 
rendered  her  the  beau-ideal  of  feminine  delicacy  and  gentle¬ 
ness.  She  had  natural  spirit,  likewise,  as  appeared  in  her 
clear  blue  eye,  and  moreover  she  had  the  spirit  to  be  a  belle. 

Around  this  young  creature  were  clustered  no  less  than 
five  young  men,  dressed  in  the  height  of  the  fashion,  all  of 
whom  seemed  to  be  entranced  with  the  words  that  fell  from 
her  lips,  and  each  of  whom  appeared  anxious  to  say  some¬ 
thing  clever  in  return.  They  all  laughed,  the  lady  most, 
and  sometimes  all  spoke  at  once.  Notwithstanding  these 
outbreakings,  Miss  Ring  did  most  of  the  talking,  and  once 
or  twice  as  a  young  man  would  gape  after  a  most  exhilarat¬ 
ing  show  of  merriment,  and  discover  an  inclination  to  re¬ 
treat,  she  managed  to  recall  him  to  his  allegiance  by  some 
remark  particularly  pertinent  to  himself  or  his  feelings. 


Ifoome  as  jfounD 


65 


“  Qui  est  cette  dame  f  ”  asked  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  very 
much  as  one  would  put  a  similar  question  011  seeing  a  man 
enter  church  during  service  with  his  hat  on. 

‘  ‘  Elle  est  demoiselle ,  ’  ’  returned  Eve. 

‘  ‘  Quelle  horreur  !  *  ’ 

“Nay,  nay,  Mademoiselle,  I  shall  not  allow  you  to  set 
up  France  as  immaculate  011  this  point,  neither,”  said  John 
Effingham,  looking  at  the  last  speaker  with  an  affected 
frown  :  “a  young  lady  may  have  a  tongue,  and  she  may 
even  speak  to  a  young  gentleman,  and  not  be  guilty  of 
felon)’  :  although  I  will  admit  that  five  tongues  are  unnec¬ 
essary,  and  that  five  listeners  are  more  than  sufficient  for 
the  w’isdom  of  twenty  in  petticoats.” 

‘  ‘  C’ est  une  horreur  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  dare  say  Miss  Ring  would  think  it  a  greater  horror  to 
be  obliged  to  pass  an  evening  in  a  row  of  girls,  unspoken  to, 
except  to  be  asked  to  dance,  and  admired  only  in  the^  dis¬ 
tance.  But  let  us  take  seats  on  that  sofa,  and  then  we  may 
go  beyond  the  pantomime  and  become  partakers  in  the  sen¬ 
timent  of  the  scene.” 

Grace  and  Eve  were  now  led  off  to  dance,  and  the  others 
did  as  John  Effingham  had  suggested.  In  thp  eyes  of  the 
belle  and  her  admirers  they  who  had  passed  thirty  were  of 
no  account,  and  our  listeners  succeeded  in  establishing 
themselves  quietly  within  ear-shot — this  was  almost  at  duel¬ 
ling  distance  too — without  at  all  interrupting  the  regular 
action  of  the  piece.  We  extract  a  little  of  the  dialogue  by 
way  of  giving  a  more  dramatic  representation  of  the  scene. 

“Do  you  think  the  youngest  Miss  Danvers  beautiful?” 
asked  the  belle,  while  her  eye  wandered  in  quest  of  a  sixth 
gentleman  to  “  entertain.”  as  the  phrase  is.  “  In  my  opin¬ 
ion,  she  is  absolutely  the  prettiest  female  in  Mrs.  Houston’s 
rooms  this  night.” 

The  young  men,  one  and  all,  protested  against  this  judg¬ 
ment,  and  with  perfect  truth,  for  Miss  Ring  was  too  original 
to  point  out  charms  that  every  one  could  see. 

“  They  say  it  will  not  be  a  match  between  her  and  Mr. 

Egbert,  after  everybody  has  supposed  it  settled  so  long. 

What  is  your  opinion,  Mr.  Edson  ?  ” 

5 


66 


Iborne  as  ffounfc 


This  timely  question  prevented  Mr.  Edson’s  retreat,  for 
lie  had  actually  got  so  far  in  this  important  evolution  as  to 
have  gaped  and  turned  his  back.  Recalled,  as  it  were  by 
the  sound  of  the  bugle,  Mr.  Edson  was  compelled  to  say 
something,  a  sore  affliction  to  him  always. 

“Oh!  I’m  quite  of  your  way  of  thinking;  they  have 
certainly  courted  too  long  to  think  of  marrying.” 

“  I  detest  long  courtships  ;  they  must  be  perfect  antidotes 
to  love  ;  are  they  not,  Mr.  Moreland  ?  ’  ’ 

A  truant  glance  of  Mr.  Moreland’s  eye  was  rebuked  by 
this  appeal,  and  instead  of  looking  for  a  place  of  refuge  he 
now  merely  looked  sheepish.  He,  however,  entirely  agreed 
with  the  young  lady,  as  the  surer  way  of  getting  out  of  the 
difficulty. 

“  Pray,  Mr.  Summerfield,  how  do  you  like  the  last  Hajji 
— Miss  Eve  Effingham?  To  my  notion,  she  is  prettyish, 
though  by  no  means  as  well  as  her  cousin,  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt,  who  is  really  rather  good-looking.  ” 

As  Eve  and  Grace  were  the  two  most  truly  lovely  young 
women  in  the  rooms,  this  opinion,  as  well  as  the  loud  tone 
in  which  it  was  given,  startled  Mademoiselle  Viefville  quite 
as  much  as  the  subjects  that  the  belle  had  selected  for  dis¬ 
cussion.  She  would  have  moved,  as  listening  to  a  conversa¬ 
tion  that  was  not  meant  for  their  ears  ;  but  John  Effingham 
quietly  assured  her  that  Miss  Ring  seldom  spoke  in  com¬ 
pany  without  intending  as  many  persons  as  possible  to 
hear  her. 

Miss  Effingham  is  very  plainly  dressed  for  an  only 
daughter,”  continued  the  young  lady,  “though  that  lace 
of  her  cousin’s  is  real  point  !  I  ’ll  engage  it  cost  every  cent 
of  ten  dollars  a  yard  !  They  are  both  engaged  to  be  mar¬ 
ried,  I  hear.” 

del !  ’  ’  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

“  Oh  !  that  is  nothing,”  observed  John  Effingham,  coolly. 
“Wait  a  moment,  and  you’ll  hear  that  they  have  been 
privately  married  these  six  months,  if,  indeed,  you  hear  no 
more.  ’  ’ 

“Of  course  this  is  but  an  idle  tale?”  said  Sir  George 
Templemore,  with  a  concern  which,  in  despite  of  his  good 


Ifoonic  as  ffounfc 


67 


breeding,  compelled  him  to  put  a  question  that,  under  other 
circumstances,  would  scarcely  have  been  permissible. 

“  As  true  as  the  gospel.  But  listen  to  the  bell,  it  is  ring¬ 
ing  for  the  good  of  the  whole  parish.” 

“The  affair  between  Miss  Effingham  and  Mr.  Morpeth, 
who  knew  her  abroad,  I  understand  is  entirely  broken  off ; 
some  say  the  father  objected  to  Mr.  Morpeth’s  want  of  for¬ 
tune  ;  others  that  the  lady  was  fickle,  while  some  accuse 
the  gentleman  of  the  same  vice.  Don’t  you  think  it  shock¬ 
ing  to  jilt,  in  either  sex,  Mr.  Moseley?  ” 

The  retiring  Mr.  Moseley  was  drawn  again  within  the 
circle,  and  was  obliged  to  confess  that  he  thought  it  was 
shocking  in  either  sex,  to  jilt. 

“  If  I  were  a  man,”  continued  the  belle,  “  I  would  never 
think  of  a  young  woman  who  had  once  jilted  a  lover.  To 
my  mind,  it  bespeaks  a  bad  heart,  and  a  woman  with  a  bad 
heart  cannot  make  a  very  amiable  wife.” 

“  What  an  exceedingly  clever  creature  she  is,”  whispered 
Mr.  Moseley  to  Mr.  Moreland,  and  he  now  made  up  his 
mind  to  remain  and  be  “  entertained,”  some  time  longer. 

‘  ‘  I  think  poor  Mr.  Morpeth  greatly  to  be  pitied  ;  for  no 
man  would  be  so  silly  as  to  be  attentive  seriously  to  a  lady 
without  encouragement.  Encouragement  is  the  ne  plus 
ultra  of  courtship  ;  are  you  not  of  my  opinion,  Mr.  Wal¬ 
worth  ?  ’  ’ 

Mr.  Walworth  was  number  five  of  the  entertainees,  and 
he  did  understand  Eatin,  of  which  the  young  lady,  though 
fond  of  using  scraps,  knew  literally  nothing.  He  smiled  an 
assent,  therefore,  and  the  belle  felicitated  herself  in  having 
“entertained”  him  effectually  ;  nor  was  she  mistaken. 

“  Indeed,  they  say  Miss  Effingham  had  several  affairs  of 
the  heart  while  in  Europe,  but  it  seems  she  was  unfortunate 
in  them  all.” 

‘  ‘  Mais,  ceci  est  trop  fort  !  Je  ne  peux  plus  ecouter. 

“  My  dear  Mademoiselle,  compose  yourself.  The  crisis 
is  not  yet  arrived  by  any  means.” 

‘  ‘  I  understand  she  still  corresponds  with  a  German  baron 
and  an  Italian  marquis,  though  both  engagements  are  abso¬ 
lutely  broken  off.  Some  people  say  she  walks  into  company 


68 


Ifeome  as  ffounfc 


alone,  unsupported  by  any  gentleman,  by  way  of  announc¬ 
ing  a  firm  determination  to  remain  single  for  life.” 

A  common  exclamation  from  the  young  men  proclaimed 
their  disapprobation  ;  and  that  night  three  of  them  actually 
repeated  the  thing,  as  a  well-established  truth,  and  two 
of  the  three,  failing  of  something  better  to  talk  about,  also 
announced  that  Eve  was  actually  engaged  to  be  married. 

“There  is  something  excessively  indelicate  in  a  young 
lady’s  moving  about  a  room  without  having  a  gentleman’s 
arm  to  lean  on  !  I  always  feel  as  if  such  a  person  was  out 
of  her  place,  and  ought  to  be  in  the  kitchen.” 

“But,  Miss  Ring,  what  well-bred  person  does  it  ?  ”  sput¬ 
tered  Mr.  Moreland.  “  No  one  ever  heard  of  such  a  thing 
in  good  society.  ’T  is  quite  shocking  !  Altogether  unpre¬ 
cedented.” 

“  It  strikes  me  as  being  excessively  coarse  !  ” 

“Oh!  manifestly;  quite  rustic!”  exclaimed  Mr.  Edson. 

“  What  can  possibly  be  more  vulgar  !  ”  added  Mr.  Wal¬ 
worth. 

“  I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing  among  the  right  sort  !  ” 
said  Mr.  Moseley. 

‘  ‘  A  young  lady  who  can  be  so  brazen  as  to  come  into  a 
room  without  a  gentleman’s  arm  to  lean  on,  is,  in  my  judg¬ 
ment  at  least,  but  indifferently  educated,  Hajji  or  no 
Hajji.  Mr.  Edson,  have  you  ever  felt  the  tender  passion? 
I  know  you  have  been  desperately  in  love  once,  at  least ; 
do  describe  to  me  some  of  the  sjmiptoms,  in  order  that 
I  may  know  when  I  am  seriously  attacked  myself  by  the 
disease.” 

“  Afais,  ceci  est  ridicule!  L! enfant  c' est  sauvee  du  Cha - 
ration  de  New  York!" 

“From  the  nursery  rather,  Mademoiselle;  you  perceive 
she  does  not  yet  know  how  to  walk  alone.” 

Mr.  Edson  now  protested  that  he  was  too  stupid  to  feel 
a  passion  as  intellectual  as  love,  and  that  he  was  afraid  he 
was  destined  by  nature  to  remain  as  insensible  as  a  block. 

“One  never  knows,  Mr.  Edson,”  said  the  young  lady, 
encouragingly.  ‘  ‘  Several  of  my  acquaintances,  who  thought 
themselves  quite  safe,  have  been  seized  suddenly,  and,  though 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


69 


none  have  actually  died,  more  than  one  has  been  roughly 
treated,  I  assure  you.” 

Here  the  young  men,  one  and  all,  protested  that  she  was 
excessively  clever.  Then  succeeded  a  pause,  for  Miss  Ring 
was  inviting,  with  her  eyes,  a  number  six  to  join  the  circle, 
her  ambition  being  dissatisfied  with  five  entertainees,  as  she 
saw  that  Miss  Trumpet,  a  rival  belle,  had  managed  to  get 
exactly  that  number  also,  in  the  other  room.  All  the  gen¬ 
tlemen  availed  themselves  of  the  cessation  in  wit  to  gape,  and 
Mr.  Edson  took  the  occasion  to  remark  to  Mr.  Summerfield 
that  he  understood  ‘  ‘  lots  had  been  sold  in  Seven  Hundredth 
Street  that  morning  as  high  as  two  hundred  dollars  a  lot.” 

The  quadrille  now  ended,  and  Eve  returned  towards  her 
friends.  As  she  approached,  the  whole  party  compared  her 
quiet,  simple,  feminine,  and  yet  dignified  air,  with  the  rest¬ 
less,  beau-catching,  and  worldly  look  of  the  belle,  and  won¬ 
dered  by  what  law  of  nature  or  of  fashion  the  one  could 
possibly  become  the  subject  of  the  other’s  comments.  Eve 
never  appeared  better  than  on  that  evening.  Her  dress  had 
all  the  accuracy  and  finish  of  a  Parisian  toilette,  being 
equally  removed  from  exaggeration  and  neglect ;  and  it  was 
worn  with  the  ease  of  one  accustomed  to  be  elegantly 
attired,  and  yet  never  decked  with  finery.  Her  step  even 
was  that  of  a  lady,  having  neither  the  mincing  tread  of  a 
Paris  grisette ,  a  manner  that  sometimes  ascends  even  to  the 
bourgeoise ,  the  march  of  a  cockneyess,  nor  the  tiptoe  swing 
of  a  belle  ;  but  it  was  the  natural  though  regulated  step  of 
a  trained  and  delicate  woman.  Walk  alone  she  could  cer¬ 
tainly,  and  always  did,  except  on  those  occasions  of  cere¬ 
mony  that  demanded  a  partner.  Her  countenance,  across 
which  an  unworthy  thought  had  never  left  a  trace,  was  an 
index,  too,  to  the  purhy,  high  principles,  and  womanly  self- 
respect  that  controlled  all  her  acts,  and,  in  these  particulars, 
was  the  very  reverse  of  the  feverish,  half-hoydenisli,  half- 
affected  expression  of  that  of  Miss  Ring. 

“They  may  say  what  they  please,”  muttered  Captain 
Truck,  who  had  been  a  silent  but  wondering  listener  of  all 
that  passed;  “she  is  worth  as  many  of  them  as  could  be 
stowed  in  the  Montauk’s  lower  hold.” 


70 


Ibotne  as  jfounD 


Miss  Ring,  perceiving  Eve  approach,  was  desirous  of  say¬ 
ing  something  to  her,  for  there  was  an  Sclat  about  a  Hajji, 
after  all,  that  rendered  an  acquaintance  or  even  an  intimacy 
desirable,  and  she  smiled  and  courtesied.  Eve  returned  the 
salutation,  but  as  she  did  not  care  to  approach  a  group  of 
six,  of  which  no  less  than  five  were  men,  she  continued  to 
move  towards  her  own  party.  This  reserve  compelled  Miss 
Ring  to  advance  a  step  or  two,  when  Eve  was  obliged  to 
stop.  Courtesying  to  her  partner,  she  thanked  him  for  his 
attention,  relinquished  his  arm,  and  turned  to  meet  the  lad}- . 
At  the  same  instant  the  five  “  entertainees  ”  escaped  in  a 
body,  equally  rejoiced  at  their  release,  and  proud  of  their 
captivity. 

“  I  have  been  dying  to  come  and  speak  to  you,  Miss 
Effingham,”  commenced  Miss  Ring,  “  but  theseyfo*?  giants  ” 
(she  emphasized  the  word  we  have  put  in  italics)  “so  beset 
me,  that  escape  was  quite  impossible.  There  ought  to  be  a 
law  that  but  one  gentleman  should  speak  to  a  lady  at  a 
time.” 

“I  thought  there  was  such  a  law  already,”  said  Eve, 
quietly. 

“  You  mean  in  good  breeding  ;  but  no  one  thinks  of  those 
antiquated  laws  nowadays.  Are  you  beginning  to  be  recon¬ 
ciled  a  little  to  your  own  country?  ” 

“  It  is  not  easy  to  effect  a  reconciliation  where  there  has 
been  no  misunderstanding.  I  hope  I  have  never  quarrelled 
with  my  country,  or  my  country  with  me.” 

“  Oh  !  it  is  not  exactly  that  I  mean.  Cannot  one  need  a 
reconciliation  without  a  quarrel  ?  What  do  you  say  to  this, 
Mr.  Edson  ?  ” 

Miss  Ring  having  detected  some  symptoms  of  desertion 
in  the  gentleman  addressed,  had  thrown  in  this  question  by 
way  of  recall  ;  when,  turning  to  note  its  effect,  she  perceived 
that  all  of  her  clientele  had  escaped.  A  look  of  surprise 
and  mortification  and  vexation  it  was  not  in  her  power  to 
suppress,  and  then  came  one  of  horror. 

How  conspicuous  we  have  made  ourselves,  and  it  is  all 
my  fault  !  ”  she  said,  for  the  first  time  that  evening  permit 
ting  her  voice  to  fall  to  a  becoming  tone.  “  Why,  here  we 


Ibome  as  tfomb 


71 


actually  are,  two  ladies  conversing  together,  and  no  gentle¬ 
man  near  us  !  ” 

‘  ‘  Is  that  being  conspicuous  ?  ’  ’  asked  Eve,  with  a  simplic¬ 
ity  that  was  entirely  natural. 

“  I  am  sure,  Miss  Effingham, one  who  has  seen  as  much 
of  society  as  you,  can  scarcely  ask  that  question  seriously. 
I  do  not  think  I  have  done  so  improper  a  thing  since  I  was 
fifteen  ;  and,  dear  me  !  dear  me  !  how  to  escape  is  the  ques¬ 
tion.  You  have  permitted  your  partner  to  go,  and  I  do  not 
see  a  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance  near  us,  to  give  me  his 
arm  !  ” 

“As  your  distress  is  occasioned  by  my  company,”  said 
Eve,  “it  is  fortunately  in  my  power  to  relieve  it.”  Thus 
saying,  she  quietly  walked  across  the  room,  and  took  her 
seat  next  to  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

Miss  Ring  held  up  her  hands  in  amazement,  and  then 
fortunately  perceiving  one  of  the  truants  gaping  at  no  great 
distance,  she  beckoned  him  to  her  side. 

“  Have  the  goodness  to  give  me  your  arm,  Mr.  Summer- 
field,”  she  said  ;  “I  am  dying  to  get  out  of  this  unpleasantly 
conspicuous  situation  ;  but  you  are  the  first  gentleman  that 
has  approached  me  this  twelvemonth.  I  would  not  for  the 
world  do  so  brazen  a  thing  as  Miss  Effingham  has  just 
achieved  ;  would  you  believe  it,  she  positively  went  from 
this  spot  to  her  seat,  quite  alone  !  ” 

“  The  Hajjis  are  privileged.” 

“  They  make  themselves  so.  But  everybody  knows  how 
bold  and  unwomanly  the  French  females  are.  One  could 
wish,  notwithstanding,  that  our  own  people  would  not  im¬ 
port  their  audacious  usages  into  this  country.” 

“  It  is  a  thousand  pities  that  Mr.  Clay,  in  his  compromise, 
neglected  to  make  an  exception  against  that  article.  A  tariff 
on  impudence  would  not  be  at  all  sectional.” 

“  It  might  interfere  with  the  manufacture  at  home,  not¬ 
withstanding,”  said  John  Effingham  ;  for  the  lungs  were 
strong,  and  the  rooms  of  Mrs.  Houston  so  small,  that  little 
was  said  that  evening,  which  was  not  heard  by  any  who 
chose  to  listen.  But  Miss  Ring  never  listened,  it  being  no 
part  of  the  vocation  of  a  belle  to  perform  that  inferior  office, 


72 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


and  sustained  by  the  protecting  arm  of  Mr.  Summerfield, 
she  advanced  more  boldly  into  the  crowd,  where  she  soon 
contrived  to  catch  another  group  of  even  six  “  entertainees.  ” 
As  for  Mr.  Summerfield,  he  lived  a  twelvemonth  on  the 
reputation  of  the  exceedingly  clever  thing  he  had  just 
uttered. 

‘  ‘  There  come  Ned  and  Aristabulus,”  said  John  Bffingham, 
as  soon  as  the  tones  of  Miss  Ring’s  voice  were  lost  in  the 
din  of  fifty  others,  pitched  to  the  same  key.  “  A  present , 
Mademoiselle , je  vais  nous  venger .” 

As  John  Effingham  uttered  this,  he  took  Captain  Truck 
by  the  arm,  and  went  to  meet  his  cousin  and  the  land-agent. 
The  latter  he  soon  separated  from  Mr.  Effingham,  and  with 
this  new  recruit,  he  managed  to  get  so  near  to  Miss  Ring  as 
to  attract  her  attention.  Although  fifty,  John  Effingham 
was  known  to  be  a  bachelor,  well  connected,  and  to  have 
twenty  thousand  a  year.  In  addition,  he  was  well  preserved 
and  .singularly  handsome,  besides  having  an  air  that  set  all 
pretending  gentility  at  defiance.  These  were  qualities  that 
no  belle  despised,  and  ill-assorted  matches  were,  moreover, 
just  coming  into  fashion  in  New  York.  Miss  Ring  had  an 
intuitive  knowledge  that  he  wished  to  speak  to  her,  and  she 
was  not  slow  in  offering  the  opportunity.  The  superior  tone 
of  John  Effingham,  his  caustic  wit  and  knowledge  of  the 
world,  dispersed  the  five  beaux  incontinently  ;  these  persons 
having  a  natural  antipathy  to  every  one  of  the  qualities 
named. 

“  I  hope  you  will  permit  me  to  presume  on  an  acquaint¬ 
ance  that  extends  back  as  far  as  your  grandfather,  Miss 
Ring,”  he  said,  “  to  present  two  ver)^  intimate  friends,  Mr. 
Bragg  and  Mr.  Truck  ;  gentlemen  who  will  well  reward  the 
acquaintance.” 

The  lady  bowed  graciously,  for  it  was  a  matter  of  con¬ 
science  with  her  to  receive  every  man  with  a  smile.  She 
was  still  too  much  in  awe  of  the  master  of  ceremonies  to 
open  her  batteries  of  attack,  but  John  Effingham  soon  re¬ 
lieved  her,  by  affecting  a  desire  to  speak  to  another  lady. 
The  belle  had  now  the  two  strangers  to  herself,  and  having 
heard  that  the  Effinghams  had  an  Englishman  of  condition 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


73 


as  a  companion,  who  was  travelling  under  a  false  name,  she 
fancied  herself  very  clever  in  detecting  him  at  once  in  the 
person  of  Aristabulus  ;  while  by  the  aid  of  a  lively  imagina¬ 
tion,  she  thought  Mr.  Truck  was  his  travelling  Mentor,  and 
a  divine  of  the  Church  of  England.  The  incognito  she  was 
too  well  bred  to  hint  at,  though  she  wished  both  the  gentle¬ 
men  to  perceive  that  a  belle  was  not  to  be  mystified  in  this 
easy  manner.  Indeed,  she  was  rather  sensitive  on  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  her  readiness  in  recognizing  a  man  of  fashion  under 
any  circumstances,  and  to  let  this  be  known  was  her  very 
first  object,  as  soon  as  she  was  relieved  from  the  presence  of 
John  Effingham. 

“  You  must  be  struck  with  the  unsophisticated  nature  and 
the  extreme  simplicity  of  our  .society,  Mr.  Bragg,”  she  said, 
looking  at  him  significantly  ;  “we  are  very  conscious  it  is 
not  what  it  might  be,  but  do  you  not  think  it  pretty  well  for 
beginners  ?  ’  ’ 

Now,  Mr.  Bragg  had  an  entire  consciousness  that  he  had 
never  seen  any  society  that  deserved  the  name  before  this 
very  night,  but  he  was  supported  in  giving  his  opinions  by 
that  secret  sense  of  his  qualifications  to  fill  any  station, 
which  formed  so  conspicuous  a  trait  in  his  character,  and 
his  answer  was  given  with  an  aplomb  that  would  have  added 
weight  to  the  opinion  of  the  veriest  elegant  of  the  Chaussee 
dl  Anti n. 

“  It  is  indeed  a  good  deal  unsophisticated,”  he  said,  “and 
so  simple  that  anybody  can  understand  it.  I  find  but  a 
single  fault  with  this  entertainment,  which  is,  in  all  else,  the 
perfection  of  elegance  in  my  eyes,  and  that  is,  that  there  is 
too  little  room  to  swing  the  legs  in  dancing.” 

“  Indeed  ?  I  did  not  expect  that — is  it  not  the  best  usage 
of  Europe,  now,  to  bring  a  quadrille  into  the  very  minimum 
of  space  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Quite  the  contrary,  Miss.  All  good  dancing  requires 
evolutions.  The  dancing  dervishes,  for  instance,  would  oc¬ 
cupy  quite  as  much  space  as  both  of  these  sets  that  are  walk¬ 
ing  before  us,  and  I  believe  it  is  now  generally  admitted  that 
all  good  dancing  needs  room  for  the  legs.” 

“  We  necessarily  get  a  little  behind  the  fashions,  in  this 


74 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


distant  country.  Pray,  sir,  is  it  usual  for  ladies  to  walk 
alone  in  society  ?  ’  ’ 

“Woman  was  not  made  to  walk  through  life  alone, 
Miss,”  returned  Aristabulus  with  a  sentimental  glance  of  the 
eye,  for  he  never  let  a  good  opportunity  for  preferment  slip 
through  his  fingers,  and,  failing  of  Miss  Effingham,  or  Miss 
Van  Cortlandt,  of  whose  estates  and  connections  he  had  some 
pretty  accurate  notions,  it  struck  him  Miss  Ring  might  possi¬ 
bly  be  a  very  eligible  selection,  as  all  was  grist  that  came  to 
his  mill  ;  “  this,  I  believe,  is  an  admitted  truth.” 

“  By  life  you  mean  matrimony,  I  suppose.” 

Yes,  Miss,  a  man  always  means  matrimony  when  he 
speaks  to  a  young  lady.” 

This  rather  disconcerted  Miss  Ring,  who  picked  her  nose¬ 
gay,  for  she  was  not  accustomed  to  hear  gentlemen  talk  to 
ladies  of  matrimony,  but  ladies  to  talk  to  gentlemen.  Re¬ 
covering  her  self-possession,  however,  she  said  with  a  promp¬ 
titude  that  did  the  school  to  which  she  belonged  infinite 
credit, — 

“  You  speak,  sir,  like  one  having  experience.” 

Certainly,  Miss,  I  have  been  in  love  ever  since  I  was  ten 
years  old  ;  I  may  say  I  was  born  in  love,  and  hope  to  die  in 
love.” 

This  a  little  out-Heroded  Herod,  but  the  belle  was  not  a 
person  to  be  easily  daunted  on  such  a  subject.  She  smiled 
graciously,  therefore,  and  continued  the  conversation  with 
renewed  spirit. 

“You  travelled  gentlemen  get  odd  notions,”  she  said, 
“  and  more  particularly  on  such  subjects.  I  always  feel 
afraid  to  discuss  them  with  foreigners,  though  with  my  own 
countrymen  I  have  few  reserves.  Pray,  Mr.  Truck,  are  you 
satisfied  with  America  ?  Do  you  find  it  the  country  you 
expected  to  see  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Certainly,  marni  ;  ”  for  so  they  pronounced  this  word  in 
the  river,  and  the  captain  cherished  his  first  impressions  ; 
“  when  we  sailed  from  Portsmouth,  I  expected  that  the  first 
land  we  should  make  would  be  the  Highlands  of  Navesink  ; 
and,  although  a  little  disappointed,  I  have  had  the  satisfac¬ 
tion  of  laying  eyes  on  it  at  last,” 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


75 


‘  *  Disappointment,  I  fear,  is  the  usual  fate  of  those  who 
come  from  the  other  side.  Is  this  dwelling  of  Mrs.  Hous¬ 
ton’s  equal  to  the  residence  of  an  English  nobleman,  Mr. 
Bragg  ? ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Considerably  better,  Miss,  especially  in  the  way  of  re¬ 
publican  comfort.” 

Miss  Ring,  like  all  belles,  detested  the  word  republican, 
their  vocation  being  clearly  to  exclusion,  and  she  pouted  a 
little  affectedly. 

‘  ‘  I  should  distrust  the  quality  of  such  comfort,  sir,  ’  ’  she 
said  with  point  ;  “  but  are  the  rooms  at  all  comparable  with 
the  rooms  in  Apsley  House,  for  instance  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  My  dear  Miss,  Apsley  House  is  a  toll-gate  lodge  com¬ 
pared  to  this  mansion  !  I  doubt  if  there  be  a  dwelling  in  all 
England  half  as  magnificent — indeed,  I  cannot  imagine 
anything  more  brilliant  and  rich.” 

Aristabulus  was  not  a  man  to  do  things  by  halves,  and  it 
was  a  point  of  honor  with  him  to  know  something  of  every¬ 
thing.  It  is  true  he  no  more  could  tell  where  Apsley  House 
was,  or  whether  it  was  a  tavern  or  a  jail,  than  he  knew  half 
the  other  things  on  which  he  delivered  oracular  opinions  ; 
but  when  it  became  necessary  to  speak,  he  was  not  apt  to 
balk  conversation  from  any  ignorance,  real  or  affected.  The 
opinion  he  had  just  given,  it  is  true,  had  a  little  surpassed 
Miss  Ring’s  hopes  ;  for  the  next  thing  in  her  ambition  to 
being  a  belle,  and  of  “entertaining”  gentlemen,  was  to 
fancy  she  was  running  her  brilliant  career  in  an  orbit  of 
fashion  that  lay  parallel  to  that  of  the  “  nobility  and  gentry  ” 
of  Great  Britain. 

“Well,  this  surpasses  my  hopes,”  .she  said,  “  although  I 
was  aware  we  are  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  more  improved 
tastes  of  Europe  ;  still  I  thought  we  were  a  little  inferior  to 
that  part  of  the  world  yet.” 

“  Inferior,  Miss  !  That  is  a  word  that  should  never  pass 
your  lips  ;  }'OU  are  inferior  to  nothing,  whether  in  Europe 
or  America,  Asia  or  Africa.” 

As  Miss  Ring  had  been  accustomed  to  do  most  of  the 
flattering  herself,  as  behoove th  a  belle,  she  began  to  be  dis¬ 
concerted  with  the  directness  of  the  compliments  of  Arista- 


7  6 


fc>ome  as  ffounb 


bulus,  who  was  disposed  to  “make  hay  while  the  sun 
shines,”  and  she  turned  in  a  little  confusion  to  the  captain 
by  way  of  relief;  we  say  confusion,  for  the  young  lady, 
although  so  liable  to  be  misunderstood,  was  not  actually 
impudent,  but  merely  deceived  in  the  relations  of  things  ; 
or  in  other  words,  by  some  confusion  in  usages,  she  had 
hitherto  permitted  herself  to  do  that  in  society  which  female 
performers  sometimes  do  on  the  stage— enact  the  part  of  a 
man. 

“  Y°u  should  tell  Mr.  Bragg,  sir,”  she  said  with  an  ap¬ 
pealing  look  at  the  captain,  “that  flattery  is  a  dangerous 
vice,  and  one  altogether  unsuited  to  a  Christian.” 

“It  is,  indeed,  marm,  and  one  that  I  never  indulge  in. 
No  one  under  my  orders  can  accuse  me  of  flattery.” 

By  “under  orders,”  Miss  Ring  understood  curates  and 
deacons  ;  for  she  was  aware  the  Church  of  England  had 
clerical  distinctions  of  this  sort,  that  are  unknown  in 
America. 

“  1  hope,  sir,  you  do  not  intend  to  quit  this  country  with¬ 
out  favoring  us  with  a  discourse.” 

"Not  I,  marm — I  am  discoursing  pretty  much  from 
morning  till  night  when  among  my  own  people,  though  I 
own  that  this  conversing  rather  puts  me  out  of  my  reckon¬ 
ing.  Let  me  get  my  foot  on  the  planks  I  love,  with  an  at¬ 
tentive  audience,  and  a  good  cigar  in  my  mouth,  and  I  ’ll 
hold  forth  with  any  bishop  in  the  universe.” 

"  A  cigar  !  ”  exclaimed  Miss  Ring,  in  surprise.  “Do 
gentlemen  of  your  profession  use  cigars  when  on  duty?  ” 

“Does  a  parson  take  his  fees?  Why,  Miss,  there  is  not 
a  man  among  us  who  does  not  smoke  from  morning  till 
night.” 

“  Surely  not  on  Sundays  ?  ” 

“  Two  for  one,  on  those  days  more  than  any  other.” 

“  And  your  people,  sir,  what  do  they  do  all  this  time?” 

“  Why,  marm,  most  of  them  chew  ;  and  those  that  don’t, 
if  they  cannot  find  a  pipe  have  a  dull  time  of  it.  For  my 
part,  I  shall  hardly  relish  the  good  place  itself,  if  cigars  are 
prohibited.” 

Miss  Ring  was  surprised ;  but  she  had  heard  that  the 


Iftome  as  JFouttO 


77 


English  clergy  were  more  free  than  our  own,  and  then  she 
had  been  accustomed  to  think  everything  English  of  the 
purest  water.  A  little  reflection  reconciled  her  to  the  in¬ 
novation  ;  and  the  next  day,  at  a  dinner  party,  she  was 
heard  defending  the  usage  as  a  practice  that  had  a  prece¬ 
dent  in  the  ancient  incense  of  the  altar.  At  that  moment, 
however,  she  was  dying  to  impart  her  discoveries  to  others  ; 
and  she  kindly  proposed  to  the  captain  and  Aristabulus  to 
introduce  them  to  some  of  her  acquaintances,  as  they  must 
find  it  dull,  being  strangers,  to  know  no  one.  Introductions 
and  cigars  were  the  captain’s  hobbies,  and  he  accepted  the 
offer  with  joy,  Aristabulus  uniting  cordially  in  the  proposi¬ 
tion,  as  he  fancied  he  had  a  right,  under  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  of  America,  to  be  introduced  to  every 
human  being  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 

It  is  .scarcely  necessary  to  say  how  much  the  party  with 
whom  the  two  neophytes  in  fashion  had  come,  enjoyed  all 
this,  though  they  concealed  their  amusement  under  the 
calm  exterior  of  people  of  the  world.  From  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham  the  mystification  was  carefully  concealed  by  his  cousin, 
as  the  former  would  have  felt  it  due  to  Mrs.  Houston,  a 
well  meaning  but  silly  woman,  to  put  an  end  to  it.  Eve 
and  Grace  laughed,  as  merry  girls  would  be  apt  to  laugh  at 
such  an  occurrence,  and  they  danced  the  remainder  of  the 
evening  with  lighter  hearts  than  ever.  At  one,  the  com¬ 
pany  retired  in  the  same  informal  manner,  as  respects  an¬ 
nouncements  and  the  calling  of  carriages,  as  that  in  which 
they  entered  ;  most  to  lay  their  drowsy  heads  on  their 
pillows,  and  Miss  Ring  to  ponder  over  the  superior  manners 
of  a  polished  young  Englishman,  and  to  dream  of  the 
fragrance  of  a  sermon  that  was  preserved  in  tobacco. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

“Marry,  our  play  is,  The  most  lamentable  comedy,  and  most  cruel 
death  of  Pyramus  and  Thisby.” 

Mids  u  m  m  er-Nigh  t  ’  s  Drea  m . 

OUR  task  in  the  way  of  describing  town  society  will 
soon  be  ended.  The  gentlemen  of  the  Effingham 
family  had  been  invited  to  meet  Sir  George  Tein- 
plemore  at  one  or  two  dinners,  to  which  the  latter 
had  been  invited  in  consequence  of  his  letters,  most  of  which 
were  connected  with  his  pecuniary  arrangements.  As  one 
of  these  entertainments  was  like  all  the  rest  of  the  same 
character,  a  very  brief  account  of  it  will  suffice  to  let  the 
reader  into  the  secret  of  the  excellence  of  the  genus. 

A  well-spread  board,  excellent  viands,  highly  respectable 
cookery,  and  delicious  wines,  were  everywhere  met.  Two 
rows  of  men  clad  in  dark  dresses,  a  solitary  female  at  the 
head  of  the  table,  or  if  fortunate,  with  a  supporter  of  the 
same  sex  near  her,  invariably  composed  the  convives.  The 
exaggerations  of  a  province  were  seen  ludicrously  in  one 
particular  custom.  The  host,  or  perhaps  it  might  have  been 
the  hostess,  had  been  told  there  should  be  a  contrast  be¬ 
tween  the  duller  light  of  the  reception-room  and  the  bril¬ 
liancy  of  the  table,  and  John  Effingham  actually  hit  his  legs 
against  a  stool  in  floundering  through  the  obscurity  of 
the  first  drawing-room  he  entered  on  one  of  the  occasions 
in  question. 

When  seated  at  table,  the  first  great  duty  of  restauration 
performed,  the  conversation  turned  on  the  prices  of  lots, 
speculations  in  towns,  or  the  currency.  After  this  came  the 
regular  assay  of  wines,  during  which  it  was  easy  to  fancy 
tiie  master  of  the  house  a  dealer,  for  he  usually  sat  either 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


79 


sucking  a  siphon  or  flourishing  a  corkscrew.  The  discourse 
would  now  have  done  credit  to  the  annual  meeting  and  din¬ 
ner  of  the  German  exporters,  assembled  at  Rudesheim  to  bid 
for  the  article. 

Sir  George  was  certainly  on  the  point  of  forming  a  very 
erroneous  judgment  concerning  the  country,  when  Mr. 
Effingham  extricated  him  from  this  set,  and  introduced  him 
properly  into  his  own.  Here,  indeed,  while  there  was 
much  to  strike  a  European  as  peculiar,  and  even  provincial, 
the  young  baronet  fared  much  better.  He  met  with  the 
same  quality  of  table,  relieved  by  an  intelligence  that  was 
always  respectable,  and  a  manliness  of  tone  which,  if  not 
unmixed,  had  the  great  merit  of  a  simplicity  and  nature 
that  are  not  always  found  in  more  sophisticated  circles. 
The  occasional  incongruities  struck  them  all,  more  than 
the  positive  general  faults  ;  and  Sir  George  Templemore  did 
justice  to  the  truth,  by  admitting  frankly  the  danger  he  had 
been  in  of  forming  a  too  hasty  opinion. 

All  this  time,  which  occupied  a  month,  the  young  baronet 
got  to  be  more  and  more  intimate  in  Hudson  Square,  Eve 
gradually  becoming  more  frank  and  unreserved  with  him,  as 
she  grew  sensible  that  he  had  abandoned  his  hopes  of  success 
with  herself,  and  Grace  gradually  more  cautious  and  timid, 
as  she  became  conscious  of  his  power  to  please,  and  the 
interest  he  took  in  herself. 

It  might  have  been  three  days  after  the  ball  at  Mrs. 
Houston’s  that  most  of  the  family  was  engaged  to  look  in 
on  a  Mrs.  Eegend,  a  lady  of  what  was  called  a  literary 
turn,  Sir  George  having  been  asked  to  make  one  of  their 
party.  Ari  stab  ulus  was  already  returned  to  his  duty  in 
the  country,  where  we  shall  shortly  have  occasion  to  join 
him,  but  an  invitation  had  been  sent  to  Mr.  Truck,  under 
the  general  erroneous  impression  of  his  real  character. 

Taste,  whether  in  the  arts,  literature,  or  anything  else,  is  a 
natural  impulse,  like  love.  It  is  true  both  maybe  cultivated 
and  heightened  by  circumstances,  but  the  impulses  must  be 
voluntary,  and  the  flow  of  feeling,  or  of  soul,  as  it  has  be¬ 
come  a  law  to  style  it,  is  not  to  be  forced,  or  commanded  to 
come  and  go  at  will.  This  is  the  reason  that  all  premedi- 


8o 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


tated  enjoyments  connected  with  the  intellect,  are  apt  to 
baffle  expectations,  and  why  academies,  literary  clubs,  coter¬ 
ies,  and  dinners  are  commonly  dull.  It  is  true  that  a  body 
of  clever  people  may  be  brought  together,  and,  if  left  to  their 
own  impulses,  the  characters  of  their  mind  will  show  them¬ 
selves  ;  wit  will  flash,  and  thought  will  answer  thought 
spontaneously  ;  but  every  effort  to  make  the  stupid  agreeable, 
by  giving  a  direction  of  a  pretending  intellectual  nature  to 
their  efforts,  is  only  rendering  dulness  more  conspicuous  by 
exhibiting  it  in  contrast  with  what  it  ought  to  be  to  be  clever, 
as  a  bad  picture  is  rendered  the  more  conspicuous  by  an 
elaborate  and  gorgeous  frame. 

The  latter  was  the  fate  of  most  of  Mrs.  Legend’s  literary 
evenings,  at  which  it  was  thought  an  illustration  to  under¬ 
stand  even  one  foreign  language.  But  it  was  known  that 
Kve  was  skilled  in  most  of  the  European  tongues,  and  the 
good  lady,  not  feeling  that  such  accomplishments  are  chiefly 
useful  as  a  means,  looked  about  her  in  order  to  collect  a  set, 
among  whom  our  heroine  might  find  some  one  with  whom 
to  converse  in  each  of  her  dialects.  Little  was  said  about  it, 
it  is  true,  but  great  efforts  were  made  to  cause  this  evening 
to  be  memorable  in  the  annals  of  conversazioni. 

In  carrying  out  this  scheme,  nearly  all  the  wits,  writers, 
artists,  and  literati,  as  the  most  incorrigible  members  of  the 
book  clubs  were  styled  in  New  York,  were  pressingly 
invited  to  be  present.  Aristabulus  had  contrived  to  earn 
such  a  reputation  for  the  captain,  on  the  night  of  the  ball, 
that  he  was  universally  called  a  man  of  letters,  and  an  arti¬ 
cle  had  actually  appeared  in  one  of  the  papers,  speaking  of 
the  literary  merits  of  the  “Hon.  and  Rev.  Mr.  Truck,  a 
gentleman  travelling  in  our  country,  from  whose  liberality 
and  just  views,  an  account  of  our  society  was  to  be  expected, 
that  should,  at  last,  do  justice  to  our  national  character.’’ 
With  such  expectations,  then,  every  true  American  and 
Americaness  was  expected  to  be  at  his  or  her  post,  for  the 
solemn  occasion.  It  was  a  rally  of  literature,  in  defence  of 
the  institutions — no,  not  of  the  institutions,  for  they  were  left 
to  take  care  of  themselves — but  of  the  social  character  of  the 
community. 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


81 


Alas  !  it  is  easier  to  feel  high  aspirations  oil  such  sub¬ 
jects,  in  a  provincial  town,  than  to  succeed  ;  for  merely  call¬ 
ing  a  place  an  emporium,  is  very  far  from  giving  it  the 
independence,  high  tone,  condensed  intelligence,  and  tastes 
of  a  capital.  Poor  Mrs.  Legend,  desirous  of  having  all  the 
Longues  duly  represented,  was  obliged  to  invite  certain  deal¬ 
ers  in  gin  from  Holland,  a  German  linen  merchant  from 
Saxony,  an  Italian  Cavaliero ,  who  amused  himself  in  .selling 
beads,  and  a  Spanish  master,  who  was  born  in  Portugal,  all 
of  whom  had  just  one  requisite  for  conversation  in  their 
respective  languages,  and  no  more.  But  such  assemblies 
were  convened  in  Paris,  and  why  not  in  New  York? 

We  shall  not  stop  to  dwell  on  the  awful  sensations  with 
which  Mrs.  Legend  heard  the  first  ring  at  her  door  on  the 
eventful  night  in  question.  It  was  the  precursor  of  the 
entrance  of  Miss  Annual,  as  regular  a  devotee  of  letters  as 
ever  conned  a  primer.  The  meeting  was  sentimental  and 
affectionate.  Before  either  had  time,  however,  to  disburden 
her  mind  of  one  half  of  its  prepared  phrases,  ring  upon 
ring  proclaimed  more  company,  and  the  rooms  were  soon 
as  much  sprinkled  with  talent,  as  a  modern  novel  with  jests. 
Among  those  who  came  first,  appeared  all  the  foreign  corps, 
for  the  refreshments  entered  as  something  into  the  account 
with  them  ;  every  “blue”  of  the  place,  whose  social  posi¬ 
tion  in  the  least  entitled  her  to  be  seen  in  such  a  house,  Mrs. 
Legend  belonging  quite  positively  to  good  society. 

The  scene  that  succeeded  was  very  characteristic.  A 
professed  genius  does  nothing  like  other  people,  except  in 
cases  that  require  a  display  of  talents.  In  all  minor  mat¬ 
ters,  he  or  she  is  sui  generis ;  for  sentiment  is  in  constant 
ebullition  in  their  souls  ;  this  being  what  is  meant  by  the 
flow  of  that  part  of  the  human  system. 

We  might  here  very  well  adopt  the  Homeric  method, 
and  call  the  roll  of  heroes  and  heroines,  in  what  the  French 
would  term  a  catalogue  raisonnee  ;  but  our  limits  compel  us 
to  be  less  ambitious,  and  to  adopt  a  simpler  mode  of  commu¬ 
nicating  facts.  Among  the  ladies  who  now  figured  in  the 
drawing-room  of  Mrs.  Legend,  besides  Miss  Annual,  were 
Miss  Monthly,  Mrs.  Economy,  S.  R.  P.,  Marion,  Longinus, 


8  2 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


Julietta,  Herodotus,  D.  O.  V.  E.,  and  Mrs.  Demonstration, 
besides  many  others  of  less  note ;  together  with  at  least  a 
dozen  female  Hajjis,  whose  claims  to  appear  in  such  society 
were  pretty  much  dependent  on  the  fact,  that  having  seen 
pictures  and  statues  abroad,  they  necessarily  must  have  the 
means  of  talking  of  them  at  home.  The  list  of  men  was 
still  more  formidable  in  numbers,  if  not  in  talents.  At  its 
head  stood  Steadfast  Dodge,  Esquire,  whose  fame  as  a  male 
Hajji  had  so  far  swollen  since  Mrs.  Jarvis’  reunion,  that, 
for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  he  now  entered  one  of  the  bet¬ 
ter  houses  of  his  own  country.  Then  there  were  the  au¬ 
thors  of  “  Eapis  Eazuli,”  “The  Aunts,”  “  The  Reformed,” 
“The  Conformed,”  “The  Transformed,”  and  “The  De¬ 
formed”;  with  the  editors  of  “The  Hebdomad,”  “The 
Night  Cap,”  “The  Chrysalis,”  “the  Real  Maggot,”  and 
“  The  Seek  no  Further  ”  ;  as  also,  “Junius,”  “  Junius  Bru¬ 
tus,”  “  Eucius  Junius  Brutus,”  “  Captain  Kant, ”  “Florio,” 
the  author  of  “  The  History  of  Billy  Einkum  Tweedle,”  the 
celebrated  Pottawattamie  Prophet,  “  Single  Rhyme,”  a  gen¬ 
ius  who  had  prudently  rested  his  fame  in  verse  on  a  couplet 
composed  of  one  line  ;  besides  divers  amateurs  and  connois¬ 
seurs,  Hajjis,  who  must  be  men  of  talents,  as  they  had  ac¬ 
quired  all  they  knew  very  much  as  American  Eclipse  gained 
his  laurels  on  the  turf ;  that  is  to  say,  by  a  free  use  of  the 
whip  and  spur. 

As  Mrs.  Kegend  sailed  about  her  rooms  amid  such  a  cir¬ 
cle,  hermind- expanded,  her  thoughts  diffused  themselves 
among  her  guests  on  the  principle  of  animal  magnetism, 
and  her  heart  was  melting  with  the  tender  sympathies  of 
congenial  tastes.  She  felt  herself  to  be  at  the  head  of 
American  talents,  and,  in  the  secret  recesses  of  her  reason, 
she  determined  that,  did  even  the  fate  of  Sodom  and  Go¬ 
morrah  menace  her  native  town,  as  some  evil-disposed  per¬ 
sons  had  dared  to  insinuate  might  one  day  be  the  case,  here 
was  enough  to  save  it  from  destruction. 

It  was  just  as  the  mistress  of  the  mansion  had  come  to 
this  consoling  conclusion,  that  the  party  from  Hudson 
Square  rang.  As  few  of  her  guests  came  in  carriages,  Mrs. 
Eegend,  who  heard  the  rolling  of  wheels,  felt  persuaded  that 


Ifoonie  as  found 


83 


the  lion  of  the  night  was  now  indeed  at  hand,  and  with  a  view 
to  a  proper  reception,  she  requested  the  company  to  divide 
itself  into  two  lines,  in  order  that  he  might  enter,  as  it  were, 
between  lanes  of  genius. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  explain  at  this  point  of  our  narra¬ 
tive,  that  John  Effingham  was  perfectly  aware  of  the  error 
which  existed  in  relation  to  the  real  character  of  Captain 
Truck,  wherein  he  thought  great  injustice  had  been  done  the 
honest  .seaman  ;  and,  the  old  man  intending  to  sail  for  Lon¬ 
don  next  morning,  had  persuaded  him  to  accept  this  invita¬ 
tion,  in  order  that  the  public  mind  might  be  disabused  in  a 
matter  of  so  much  importance.  With  a  view  that  this  might 
be  done  naturally  and  without  fuss,  however,  he  did  not 
explain  the  mistake  to  his  nautical  friend,  believing  it  most 
probable  that  this  could  be  better  done  incidentally,  as  it 
were,  in  the  course  of  the  evening,  and  feeling  certain  of  the 
force  of  that  wholesome  apophthegm  which  says  that  “  Truth 
is  powerful  and  must  prevail.”  “  If  this  be  so,”  added  John 
Effingham,  in  his  explanations  to  Eve,  “there  can  be  no 
place  where  the  sacred  quality  will  be  so  likely  to  assert 
itself  as  in  a  galaxy  of  geniuses,  whose  distinctive  charac¬ 
teristic  is  ‘  an  intuitive  perception  of  things  in  their  real 
colors.’  ” 

When  the  door  of  Mrs.  Legend’s  drawing-room  opened, 
in  the  usual  noiseless  manner,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who 
led  the  way,  was  startled  at  finding  herself  in  the  precise 
situation  of  one  who  is  condemned  to  run  the  gauntlet. 
Fortunately  she  caught  a  glimpse  of  Mrs.  Legend,  posted  at 
the  other  end  of  the  proud  array,  inviting  her  with  smiles 
to  approach.  The  invitation  had  been  to  a  “  literary  fete” 
and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  was  too  much  of  a  French¬ 
woman  to  be  totally  disconcerted  at  a  little  scenic  effect  on 
the  occasion  of  a  fete  of  any  sort.  Supposing  she  was  now 
a  witness  of  an  American  ceremony  for  the  first  time,  for 
the  want  of  representation  in  the  country  had  been  rather 
a  subject  of  animadversion  with  her,  .she  advanced  steadily 
towards  the  mistress  of  the  house,  bestowing  smile  for  smile, 
this  being  a  part  of  the  programme  at  which  a  Parisienne 
was  not  easily  outdone.  Eve  followed,  as  usual,  sola  ; 


84 


Ibome  as  fonnb 


Grace  came  next  ;  then  Sir  George  ;  then  John  Effingham  ; 
the  captain  bringing  up  the  rear.  There  had  been  a  friendly 
contest  for  the  precedency  between  the  two  last,  each 
desiring  to  yield  it  to  the  other  on  the  score  of  merit  ; 
but  the  captain  prevailed,  by  declaring  that  “  he  was  navi¬ 
gating  an  unknown  sea,  and  that  he  could  do  nothing 
wiser  than  to  sail  in  the  wake  of  so  good  a  pilot  as  Mr. 
John  Effingham.” 

As  Hajjis  of  approved  experience,  the  persons  who  led 
the  advance  in  this  little  procession  were  subjects  of  a 
proper  attention  and  respect ;  but  as  the  admiration  of  mere 
vulgar  travelling  would  in  itself  be  vulgar,  care  was  taken  to 
reserve  the  condensed  feeling  of  the  company  for  the  cele¬ 
brated  English  writer  and  wit,  who  was  known  to  bring  up 
the  rear.  This  was  not  a  common  house  in  which  dollars 
had  place,  or  belles  rioted,  but  the  temple  of  genius  ;  and 
every  one  felt  an  ardent  desire  to  manifest  a  proper  homage 
to  the  abilities  of  the  established  foreign  writer,  that  .should 
be  in  exact  proportion  to  their  indifference  to  the  twenty 
thousand  a  year  of  John  Effingham,  and  to  the  nearly  equal 
amount  of  Eve’s  expectations. 

The  personal  appearance  of  the  honest  tar  was  well 
adapted  to  the  character  he  was  thus  called  on  so  unex¬ 
pectedly  to  support.  His  hair  had  long  been  getting  gray  ; 
but  the  intense  anxiety  of  the  chase,  of  the  wreck,  and  of 
his  other  recent  adventures,  had  rapidly  but  effectually  in¬ 
creased  this  mark  of  time,  and  his  head  was  now  nearly  as 
white  as  snow.  The  hale,  fresh  red  of  his  features,  which 
was  in  truth  the  result  of  exposure,  might  very  well  pass 
for  the  tint  of  port ;  and  his  tread,  which  had  always  a 
little  of  the  quarter-deck  swinging  about  it,  might  quite 
easily  be  mistaken  by  a  tyro  for  the  human  frame  stagger¬ 
ing  under  a  load  of  learning.  Unfortunately  for  those 
who  dislike  mystification,  the  captain  had  consulted  John 
Effingham  on  the  subject  of  the  toilette,  and  that  kind  and 
indulgent  friend  had  suggested  the  propriety  of  appearing 
in  black  small-clothes  for  the  occasion,  a  costume  that  he 
often  wore  himself  of  an  evening.  Reality,  in  this  in¬ 
stance,  then,  did  not  disappoint  expectation,  and  the  burst 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


85 


of  applause  with  which  the  captain  was  received,  was  ac¬ 
companied  by  a  general  murmur  in  commendation  of  the 
admirable  manner  in  which  he  “  looked  the  character.” 

‘  ‘  What  a  Byronic  head,  ’  ’  whispered  the  author  of  ‘  ‘  The 
Transformed  ”  to  D.  O.  V.  E.  ;  “  and  was  there  ever  such  a 
curl  of  the  lip,  before,  to  mortal  man?  ” 

The  truth  is,  the  captain  had  thrust  his  tobacco  into  “an 
aside,”  as  a  monkey  is  known  to  empoclier  a  spare  nut  or  a 
lump  of  sugar. 

“Do  you  think  him  Byronic?  To  my  eye  the  cast  of 
his  head  is  Shakespearian,  rather.  Though  I  confess  there 
is  a  little  of  Milton  about  the  forehead  !  ’  ’ 

“Pray,”  said  Miss  Annual  to  kudus  Junius  Brutus, 

‘  ‘  which  is  commonly  thought  to  be  the  best  of  his  works  ? 
That  on  a — a — a, — or  that  on  e — e — e  ?  ” 

Now,  so  it  happened,  that  not  a  soul  in  the  room,  but 
the  lion  himself,  had  anj^  idea  what  books  he  had  written, 
and  he  knew  only  of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  log-books.  It 
was  generally  understood  that  he  was  a  great  English  writer, 
and  this  was  more  than  sufficient. 

“I  believe  the  world  generally  prefers  the  a — a — a,” 
said  Eucius  Junius  Brutus;  “but  the  few  give  a  decided 
preference  to  the  e — e — e.  ’  ’ 

“  Oh  !  out  of  all  question  preferable  !  ”  exclaimed  half  a 
dozen  in  hearing. 

“With  what  a  classic  modesty  he  pays  his  compliments 
to  Mrs.  Eegend,”  observed  S.  R.  P.  “One  can  always 
tell  a  man  of  real  genius  by  his  tenue  !  ” 

“  He  is  so  English  !  ”  cried  Elorio.  “  Ah  !  they  are  the 
only  people  after  all  !  ” 

This  Florio  was  one  of  those  geniuses  who  sigh  most  for 
the  things  that  they  least  possess. 

By  this  time  Captain  Truck  had  got  through  with  listen¬ 
ing  to  the  compliments  of  Mrs.  Eegend,  when  he  was 
seized  upon  by  a  circle  of  rabid  literati,  who  badgered  him 
with  questions  concerning  his  opinions,  notions,  inferences, 
experiences,  associations,  sensations,  sentiments,  and  inten¬ 
tions,  in  a  way  that  soon  threw  the  old  man  into  a  profuse 
perspiration.  Fifty  times  did  he  wish,  from  the  bottom  of 


86 


Ibome  as  tfownb 


his  soul — that  soul  which  the  crowd  around  him  fancied 
dwelt  so  high  in  the  clouds — that  he  was  seated  quietly 
by  the  side  of  Mrs.  Hawker,  who,  he  mentally  swore,  was 
worth  all  the  literati  in  Christendom.  But  fate  had  de¬ 
creed  otherwise,  and  we  shall  leave  him  to  his  fortune  for  a 
time,  and  return  to  our  heroine  and  her  party. 

As  soon  as  Mrs.  Legend  had  got  through  with  her  intro¬ 
ductory  compliments  to  the  captain,  she  sought  Eve  and 
Grace,  with  a  consciousness  that  a  few  civilities  were  now 
their  due. 

“I  fear,  Miss  Effingham,  after  the  elaborate  soirees  of 
the  literary  circles  in  Paris,  you  will  find  our  reunions  of 
the  same  sort  a  little  dull  ;  and  yet  I  flatter  myself  with 
having  assembled  most  of  the  talents  of  New  York  on  this 
memorable  occasion,  to  do  honor  to  3Tour  friend.  Are  you 
acquainted  with  maii}^  of  the  company  ?  ’  ’ 

Now,  Eve  had  never  seen  nor  ever  heard  of  a  single 
being  in  the  room,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Dodge  and 
her  own  party,  before  this  night,  although  most  of  them 
had  been  so  laboriously  emplo)Ted  in  puffing  each  other  into 
celebrity,  for  many  weary  years ;  and,  as  for  elaborate 
soirees ,  she  thought  she  had  never  seen  one  half  as  elaborate 
as  this  of  Mrs.  Legend’s.  As  it  wTould  not  very"  well  do, 
however,  to  express  all  this  in  words,  she  civilly  desired  the 
lad)^  to  point  out  to  her  some  of  the  most  distinguished  of 
the  company. 

“With  the  greatest  pleasure,  Miss  Effingham,”  Mrs.  Le¬ 
gend  taking  pride  in  dwelling  on  the  merits  of  her  guests. 
“This  heavy,  grand-looking  personage,  in  whose  air  one 
sees  refinement  and  modesty  at  a  glance,  is  Captain  Kant, 
the  editor  of  one  of  our  most  decidedly  pious  newspapers. 
His  mind  is  distinguished  for  its  intuitive  perception  of  all 
that  is  delicate,  reserved,  and  finished  in  the  intellectual 
world,  while,  in  opposition  to  this  quality,  which  is  almost 
feminine,  his  character  is  just  as  remarkable  for  its  un¬ 
flinching  love  of  truth.  He  was  never  known  to  publish 
a  falsehood,  and  of  his  foreign  correspondence,  in  particular, 
he  is  so  exceedingly  careful,  that  he  assures  me  he  has 
every  word  of  it  written  under  his  own  eye.  *  ’ 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


87 


“On  the  subject  of  his  religious  scruples,”  added  John 
Effingham,  “  he  is  so  fastidiously  exact,  that  I  hear  he  ‘  says 
grace  ’  over  everything  that  goes  from  his  press,  and  ‘  re¬ 
turns  thanks  ’  for  everything  that  comes  to  it.” 

“You  know  him,  Mr.  Effingham,  by  this  remark?  Is 
he  not,  truly,  a  man  of  a  vocation?  ” 

“  That,  indeed,  he  is,  ma’am.  He  may  be  succinctly  said 
to  have  a  newspaper  mind,  as  he  reduces  everything  in  na¬ 
ture  or  art  to  news,  and  commonly  imparts  to  it  so  much  of 
his  own  peculiar  character,  that  it  loses  all  identity  with 
the  subjects  to  which  it  originally  belonged.  One  scarcely 
knows  which  to  admire  most  about  this  man,  the  atmospheric 
transparency  of  his  motives, — for  he  is  so  disinterested 
as  seldom  even  to  think  of  paying  for  a  dinner  when  trav¬ 
elling,  and  yet  so  conscientious  as  always  to  say  something 
obliging  of  the  tavern  as  soon  as  he  gets  home, — his  rigid 
regard  to  facts,  or  the  exquisite  refinement  and  delicacy  that 
he  imparts  to  everything  he  touches.  Over  all  this,  too,  he 
throws  a  beautiful  halo  of  mortality  and  religion,  never  even 
prevaricating  in  the  hottest  discussion,  unless  with  the 
unction  of  a  saint  !  ’  ’ 

“  Do  you  happen  to  know  Florio  ?  ”  asked  Mrs.  Legend, 
a  little  distrusting  John  Effingham’s  account  of  Captain 
Kant. 

“  If  I  do,  it  must  indeed  be  by  accident.  What  are  his 
chief  characteristics,  ma’am?  ” 

“  Sentiment,  pathos,  delicacy,  and  all  in  rhyme,  too. 
You,  no  doubt,  have  heard  of  his  triumph  over  Lord  Byron, 
Miss  Effingham  ?  ’  ’ 

Eve  was  obliged  to  confess  that  it  was  new  to  her. 

‘  ‘  Why,  Byron  wrote  an  ode  to  Greece  commencing  with 
‘  The  Isles  of  Greece  !  the  Isles  of  Greece  !  ’  a  very  feeble 
line,  as  any  one  will  see,  for  it  contained  a  useless  and  an 
unmeaning  repetition.” 

“And  you  might  add  vulgar,  too,  Mrs.  Legend,”  said 
John  Effingham,  “since  it  made  a  palpable  allusion  to  all 
those  vulgar  incidents  that  associate  themselves  in  the  mind 
with  these  said  commonplace  isles.  The  arts,  philosophy, 
poetry,  eloquence,  and  even  old  Homer,  are  brought  un- 


88 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


pleasantly  to  one’s  recollection  by  such  an  indiscreet  invo¬ 
cation.” 

“So  Florio  thought,  and,  by  way  of  letting  the  world 
perceive  the  essential  difference  between  the  base  and  the 
pure  coin,  he  wrote  an  ode  on  England,  which  commenced 
as  such  an  ode  should  !  ” 

“  Do  you  happen  to  recollect  any  of  it,  ma’am  ?  ” 

“  Only  the  first  line,  which  I  greatly  regret,  as  the  rhyme 
is  Florio’s  chief  merit.  But  this  line  is  of  itself  sufficient  to 
immortalize  a  man.” 

‘  ‘  Do  not  keep  us  in  torment,  dear  Mrs.  Eegend,  but  let 
us  have  it,  for  Heaven’s  sake  !  ” 

“  It  began  in  this  sublime  strain,  sir  :  ‘  Beyond  the  wave  ! 
beyond  the  wave  !  ’  Now,  Miss  Effingham,  that  is  what  I 
call  poetry!” 

“And  well  you  may,  ma’am,”  returned  the  gentleman, 
who  perceived  Eve  could  scarce  refrain  from  breaking  out 
in  a  very  unsentimental  manner  ;  “so  much  pathos.” 

‘  ‘  And  so  sententious  and  flowing  !  ’  ’ 

“Condensing  a  journey  of  three  thousand  miles,  as  it 
might  be,  into  three  words,  and  a  note  of  admiration.  I 
trust  it  was  printed  with  a  note  of  admiration,  Mrs.  Legend  ?  ” 
“Yes,  sir,  with  two — one  behind  each  wave — and  such 
waves,  Mr.  Effingham  !  ” 

“Indeed,  ma’am,  you  may  say  so.  One  really  gets  a 
grand  idea  of  them,  England  lying  beyond  each.” 

“  So  much  expressed  in  so  few  syllables  !  ” 

“  I  think  I  see  every  shoal,  current,  ripple,  rock,  island, 
and  whale,  between  Sandy  Hook  and  the  Land’s  End.” 

‘  ‘  He  hints  at  an  epic.  ’  ’ 

Pray  God  he  may  execute  one.  Let  him  make  haste, 
too,  or  he  may  get  ‘  behind  the  age,’  ‘  behind  the  age.’  ” 
Here  the  lady  was  called  away  to  receive  a  guest. 

“  Cousin  Jack  !  ” 

“  Eve  Effingham  !  ” 

“  Do  you  not  sometimes  fear  offending?  ” 

“  Not  a  woman  who  begins  with  expressing  her  admira¬ 
tion  of  such  a  sublime  thing  as  this.  You  are  safe  with 
such  a  person  anywhere  short  of  a  tweak  of  the  nose,” 


Ifoonte  as  jfounD 


89 


“Mats,  tout  ceci  est  bien  dr  ole  !  ” 

“  You  never  were  more  mistaken  in  your  life,  Mademoi¬ 
selle  ;  everybody  here  looks  upon  it  as  a  matter  of  life  and 
death.” 

The  new  guest  was  Mr.  Pindar,  one  of  those  careless, 
unsentimental  fellows,  that  occasionally  throw  off  an  ode 
that  passes  through  Christendom  as  dollars  are  known  to 
pass  from  China  to  Norway,  and  yet  who  never  fancied 
spectacles  necessary  to  his  appearance,  solemnity  to  his 
face,  nor  soirees  to  his  renown.  After  quitting  Mrs.  Legend, 
he  approached  Eve,  to  whom  he  was  .slightly  known,  and 
accosted  her. 

“This  is  the  region  of  taste,  Miss  Effingham,”  he  said 
with  a  shrug  of  the  jaw,  if  such  a  member  can  shrug  ;  “  and 
I  do  not  wonder  at  finding  you  here.” 

Pie  then  chatted  pleasantly  a  moment  with  the  party, 
and  passed  on,  giving  an  ominous  gape  as  he  drew  nearei 
to  the  oi  polloi  of  literature.  A  moment  after  appeared 
Mr.  Gray,  a  man  who  needed  nothing  but  taste  in  the  pub¬ 
lic,  and  the  encouragement  that  would  follow  such  a  taste, 
to  stand  at,  or  certainly  near,  the  head  of  the  poets  of  our 
own  time.  He,  too,  looked  shyly  at  the  galaxy,  and  took 
refuge  in  a  corner.  Mr.  Pith  followed  ;  a  man  whose  caus¬ 
tic  wit  needs  only  a  sphere  for  its  exercise,  manners  to  por¬ 
tray,  and  a  society  with  strong  points  about  it  to  illustrate, 
in  order  to  enroll  his  name  high  on  the  catalogue  of  satirists. 
Another  ring  announced  Mr.  Fun,  a  writer  of  exquisite 
humor,  and  of  finished  periods,  but  who,  having  perpetrated 
a  little  too  much  sentiment,  was  instantly  seized  upon  by  all 
the  ultra  ladies  who  were  addicted  to  the  same  taste  in  that 
way  in  the  room. 

These  persons  came  late,  like  those  who  had  already 
been  too  often  dosed  in  the  same  way,  to  be  impatient  of 
repetitions.  The  three  first  soon  got  together  in  a  corner, 
and  Eve  fancied  they  were  laughing  at  the  rest  of  the 
company,  whereas,  in  fact,  they  were  merely  laughing  at 
a  bad  joke  of  their  own  ;  their  quick  perception  of  the 
ludicrous  having  pointed  out  a  hundred  odd  combinations 
and  absurdities,  that  would  have  escaped  duller  minds. 


9o 


Ifrome  as  jfounfc 


“  who>  in  the  name  of  the  twelve  Caesars,  has  Mrs.  Le¬ 
gend  got  to  lionize  yonder,  with  the  white  summit  and  the 
dark  base  ?  ’  ’  asked  the  writer  of  odes. 

“Some  English  pamphleteer,  by  what  I  can  learn,”  an¬ 
swered  he  of  satire  ;  ‘  ‘  some  fellow  who  has  achieved  a  pert 
review,  or  written  a  Minerva-Pressism,  and  who  now  flour¬ 
ishes  like  a  bay-tree  among  us.  A  modern  Horace,  or  a 
Juvenal  on  his  travels.” 

“  Fun  is  well  badgered,”  observed  Mr.  Gray.  “  Do  you 
not  see  that  Miss  Annual,  Miss  Monthly,  and  that  young 
alphabet  D.  O.  V.  E.,  have  got  him  within  the  circle  of  their 
petticoats,  where  he  will  be  martyred  on  a  sigh  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  He  casts  longing  looks  this  way  ;  he  wishes  you  to  go 
to  his  rescue,  Pith.” 

“  I !  Eet  him  take  his  fill  of  sentiment !  I  am  no 
homoeopath ist  in  such  matters.  Large  doses  in  quick  suc¬ 
cession  will  soonest  work  a  cure.  Here  comes  the  lion,  and 
he  breaks  loose  from  his  cage,  like  a  beast  that  has  been 
poked  up  with  sticks.  ’  ’ 

“  Good  evening,  gentlemen,”  said  Captain  Truck,  wiping 
his  face  intensely,  and  who,  having  made  his  escape  from  a 
throng  of  admirers,  took  refuge  in  the  first  port  that  offered. 
“You  seem  to  be  enjoying  yourselves  here  in  a  rational 
and  agreeable  way.  Quite  cool  and  refreshing  in  this 
corner.  ’  * 

“And  yet  we  have  no  doubt  that  both  our  reason  and  our 
amusement  will  receive  a  large  increase  from  the  addition 
of  your  society,”  returned  Mr.  Pith.  “  Do  us  the  favor  to 
take  a  .seat,  I  beg  of  you,  and  rest  yourself.” 

“With  all  my  heart,  gentlemen;  for,  to  own  the  truth, 
these  ladies  make  warm  work  about  a  stranger.  I  have  just 
got  out  of  what  I  call  a  category.” 

“You  appear  to  have  escaped  with  life,  .sir,”  observed 
Pindar,  taking  a  cool  survey  of  the  other’s  person. 

“  Yes,  thank  God,  I  have  done  that,  and  it  is  pretty  much 
all,”  answered  the  captain,  wiping  his  face.  “I  served  in 
the  French  war — Truxton’s  war,  as  we  call  it — and  I  had 
a  touch  with  the  English  in  the  privateer  trade,  between 
twelve  and  fifteen  ;  and  here,  quite  lately,  I  was  in  an  en- 


Ibome  as  ffounO 


91 


counter  with  the  savage  Arabs  down  on  the  coast  of  Africa  ; 
and  I  account  them  all  as  so  much  snow-balling,  compared 
with  the  yard-arm  and  yard-arm  work  of  this  very  night. 
I  wonder  if  it  is  permitted  to  try  a  cigar  at  these  conversa- 
tion-onies,  gentlemen  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  believe  it  is,  sir,”  returned  Pindar,  coolly.  “Shall  I 
help  you  to  a  light  ?  ’  ’ 

“Oh!  Mr.  Truck  !”  cried  Mrs.  L,egend,  following  the 
chafed  animal  to  his  corner,  as  one  would  pursue  any  other 
runaway,  “instinct  has  brought  you  into  this  good  company. 
You  are  now  in  the  very  focus  of  American  talents.” 

“  Having  just  escaped  from  the  focus  of  American  talons,” 
whispered  Pith. 

“I  must  be  permitted  to  introduce  you  myself.  Mr. 
Truck,  Mr.  Pindar — Mr.  Pith — Mr.  Gray  ;  gentlemen,  you 
must  be  so  happy  to  be  acquainted,  being,  as  it  were,  en¬ 
gaged  in  the  same  pursuits  !  ’  ’ 

The  captain  rose  and  shook  each  of  the  gentlemen  cor¬ 
dially  by  the  hand,  for  he  had,  at  least,  the  consolation  of  a 
great  many  introductions  that  night.  Mrs.  Hegend  disap¬ 
peared  to  say  something  to  some  other  prodigy. 

“  Happy  to  meet  you,  gentlemen,”  said  the  captain.  “  I11 
what  trade  do  you  sail  ?  ’  ’ 

“  By  whatever  name  we  may  call  it,”  answered  Mr.  Pin¬ 
dar,  “  we  can  scarcely  be  said  to  go  before  the  wind.” 

“  Not  in  the  Injee  business,  then,  or  the  monsoons  would 
keep  the  stunsails  set,  at  least.” 

“No,  sir.  But  yonder  is  Mr.  Moccasin,  who  has  lately 
set  up  secundum  artem  in  the  Indian  business,  having 
written  two  novels  in  that  way  already,  and  begun  a 
third.” 

“  Are  you  all  regularly  employed,  gentlemen  ?  ” 

“As  regularly  as  inspiration  points,”  said  Mr.  Pith. 
“  Men  of  our  occupation  must  make  fair  weather  of  it,  or 
we  had  better  be  doing  nothing.” 

“  So  I  often  tell  my  owners,  but  ‘  go  ahead  ’  is  the  order. 
When  I  was  a  youngster,  a  ship  remained  in  port  for  a  fair 
wind  ;  but  now  she  goes  to  work  and  makes  one.  The 
world  seems  to  get  young,  as  I  get  old.” 


92 


tbome  as  jfounfc 


“  This  is  a  rum  litterateur,  ’  ’  Gray  whispered  to  Pindar. 

It  is  an  obvious  mystification,”  was  answered  ;  “  poor 
Mrs.  Legend  has  picked  up  some  straggling  porpoise,  and 
converted  him,  by  a  touch  of  her  magical  wand,  into  a 
Boanerges  of  literature.  The  thing  is  as  clear  as  day,  for 
the  worthy  fellow  smells  of  tar  and  cigar  smoke.  I  perceive 
that  Mr.  Effingham  is  laughing  out  of  the  corner  of  his  eye, 
and  will  step  across  the  room  and  get  the  truth  in  a  minute.” 

The  rogue  was  as  good  as  his  word,  and  was  soon  back 
again,  and  contrived  to  let  his  friends  understand  the  real 
state  of  the  case.  A  knowledge  of  the  captain’s  true  char¬ 
acter  encouraged  this  trio  in  the  benevolent  purpose  of  aid¬ 
ing  the  honest  old  seaman  in  his  wish  to  smoke,  and  Pith 
managed  to  give  him  a  lighted  paper,  without  becoming  an 
open  accessory  to  the  plot. 

“  Will  you  take  a  cigar  yourself,  sir?”  said  the  captain, 
offering  his  box  to  Mr.  Pindar. 

”  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Truck,  I  never  smoke,  but  am  a  pro¬ 
found  admirer  of  the  flavor.  Let  me  entreat  you  to  be°in 
as  soon  as  possible.  ’  ’ 

Thus  encouraged,  Captain  Truck  drew  two  or  three 
whiffs,  when  the  rooms  were  immediately  filled  with  the 
fragrance  of  a  real  Havana.  At  the  first  discovery,  the 
whole  literary  pack  went  off  on  the  scent.  As  for  Mr. 
Fun,  he  managed  to  profit  by  the  agitation  that  followed,  in 
order  to  escape  to  the  three  wags  in  the  corner,  who  were 
enjoying  the  scene  with  the  gravity  of  so  many  dervishes. 

“As  I  live,”  cried  Lucius  Junius  Brutus,  “  there  is  the 
author  of  a — a — a — actually  smoking  a  cigar  ?  How  exces¬ 
sively  piquayit !  *  ’ 

“Do  my  eyes  deceive  me,  or  is  not  that  the  writer  of 
e—e—e— fumigating  us  all  !  ”  whispered  Miss  Annual. 

“Nay,  this  cannot  certainly  be  right,”  put  in  Florio, 
with  a  dogmatical  manner.  “  All  the  periodicals  agree  that 
smoking  is  ungenteel  in  England.” 

“  You  never  were  more  mistaken,  dear  Florio,”  replied 
D.  O.  V.  E.  in  a  cooing  tone.  “  The  very  last  novel  of 
society  has  a  chapter  in  which  the  hero  and  heroine  smoke 
in  the  declaration  scene.” 


Borne  as  ffounfc 


93 


“  Do  they,  indeed  !  That  alters  the  case.  Really,  one 
would  not  wish  to  get  behind  so  great  a  nation,  nor  yet  go 
much  before  it.  Pray,  Captain  Kant,  what  do  your  friends 
in  Canada  say  :  is,  or  is  not  smoking  permitted  in  good 
society  there  ?  The  Canadians  must,  at  least,  be  ahead  of 
us.  ’  ’ 

“  Not  at  all,  sir,”  returned  the  editor,  in  his  softest  tones  ; 
‘‘it  is  revolutionary  and  jacobinical.” 

But  the  ladies  prevailed,  and  by  a  process  that  is  rather 
peculiar  to  what  maybe  called  a  ‘‘credulous”  state  of 
society,  they  carried  the  day.  This  process  was  simply  to 
make  one  fiction  authority  for  another.  The  fact  that 
smoking  was  now  carried  so  far  in  England,  that  the  clergy 
actually  used  cigars  in  the  pulpits,  was  affirmed  on  the 
authority  of  Mr.  Truck  himself,  and  coupled  with  his 
present  occupation,  the  point  was  deemed  to  be  settled. 
Even  Florio  yielded,  and  his  plastic  mind  soon  saw  a  thou¬ 
sand  beauties  in  the  usage,  that  had  hitherto  escaped  it. 
All  the  literati  drew  round  the  captain  in  a  circle,  to  enjoy 
the  spectacle,  though  the  honest  old  mariner  contrived  to 
throw  out  such  volumes  of  vapor  as  to  keep  them  at  a  safe 
distance.  His  four  demure-looking  neighbors  got  behind  the 
barrier  of  smoke,  where  they  deemed  themselves  entrenched 
against  the  assaults  of  sentimental  petticoats,  for  a  time 
at  least. 

‘‘Pray,  Mr.  Truck,”  inquired  S.  R.  P.,  ‘‘is  it  commonly 
thought  in  the  English  literary  circles,  that  Byron  was  a 
development  of  Shakespeare,  or  Shakespeare  a  shadowing 
forth  of  Byron  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Both,  marm,”  said  the  captain,  with  a  coolness  that 
would  have  done  credit  to  Aristabulus,  for  he  had  been 
fairly  badgered  into  impudence,  profiting  by  the  occasion  to 
knock  the  ashes  off  his  cigar;  ‘‘all  inclined  to  the  first 
opinion,  and  most  to  the  last.” 

‘‘What  finesse!”  murmured  one.  ‘‘How  delicate!” 
whispered  a  second.  ‘‘A  dignified  reserve  !  ”  ejaculated  a 
third.  “  So  English  !  ”  exclaimed  Florio. 

‘‘Do  you  think,  Mr.  Truck,”  asked  D.  O.  V.  E.,  ‘‘that 
the  profane  songs  of  Tittle  have  more  pathos  than  the 


94 


Ibome  as  ffoimft 


sacred  songs  of  Moore;  or  that  the  sacred  songs  of  Moore 
have  more  sentiment  than  the  profane  songs  of  little  ?  ” 

“  A  good  deal  of  both,  marm,  and  something  to  spare.  I 
think  there  is  little  in  one,  and  more  in  the  other.” 

“  Pray,  sir,”  said  S.  R.  P.,  “  do  you  pronounce  the  name 
of  Byron’s  lady-love,  Guy-kee-oh-/j/,  or  Gwy-ky-o-/^  f  ” 

“  That  depends  on  how  the  wind  is.  If  on  shore,  I  am 
apt  to  say  ‘  oh-lee  ’  ;  and  if  off  shore,  ‘  oh-lie.’  ” 

“  That ’s  capital  !  ”  cried  Florio,  in  an  ecstacy  of  admira¬ 
tion.  “  What  man  in  this  country  could  have  said  as  crack 
a  thing  as  that  ?  ” 

Indeed  it  is  very  witty,”  added  Miss  Monthly  ;  “  what 
does  it  mean  ?  ” 

“  Mean  !  More  than  is  seen  or  felt  by  common  minds. 
Ah  !  the  English  are  truly  a  great  nation  !  How  delight¬ 
fully  he  smokes  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  think  he  is  much  the  most  interesting  man  we  have 
had  out  here,”  observed  Miss  Annual,  “  since  the  last  bust 
of  Scott  !  ” 

“Ask  him,  dear  D.  O.  V.  E.,  ”  whispered  Julietta,  who 
was  timid,  from  the  circumstance  of  never  having  published 
which  he  thinks  the  most  ecstatic  feeling,  hope  or  de¬ 
spair  ?  ’  ’  The  question  was  put  by  the  more  experienced 
lady,  according  to  request,  though  she  first  said,  in  a  hurried 
tone  to  her  youthful  sister,  “You  can  have  felt  but  little, 
child,  or  you  would  know  that  it  is  despair,  as  a  matter  of 
course.” 

The  honest  captain,  however,  did  not  treat  the  matter  so 
lightly,  for  he  improved  the  opportunity  to  light  a  fresh 
cigar,  throwing  the  still  smoking  stump  into  Mrs.  Legend’s 
grate,  through  a  lane  of  literati,  as  he  afterwards  boasted,  as 
coolly  as  he  could  have  thrown  it  overboard,  under  other 
circumstances.  Luckily  for  his  reputation  for  sentiment,  he 
mistook  “ecstatic,”  a  word  he  had  never  heard  before,  for 
11  erratic”  ;  and  recollecting  sundry  roving  maniacs  that  he 
had  seen,  he  answered  promptly,— 

“  Despair,  out  and  out.” 

“  I  knew  it,”  said  one. 

“It’s  in  nature,”  added  a  second. 


Ifoome  as  jfount) 


95 


“  All  can  feel  its  truth,”  rejoined  a  third. 

“This  point  may  now  be  set  down  as  established,”  cried 
Florio,  “  and  I  hope  no  more  will  be  said  about  it.” 

“  This  is  encouragement  to  the  searchers  after  truth,”  put 
in  Captain  Kant. 

“  Pray,  Hon.  and  Rev.  Mr.  Truck,”  asked  Rucius  Junius 
Brutus,  at  the  joint  suggestion  of  Junius  Brutus  and  Brutus, 
“  does  the  Princess  Victoria  smoke  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  If  she  did  not,  sir,  where  would  be  the  use  in  being  a 
princess  !  I  suppose  you  know  that  all  the  tobacco  seized 
in  England,  after  a  deduction  to  informers,  goes  to  the 
crown  ?  ’  ’ 

“I  object  to  this  usage,”  remarked  Captain  Kant,  “as 
irreligious,  French,  and  tending  to  sans-culotteism.  I  am 
willing  to  admit  of  this  distinguished  instance  as  an  excep¬ 
tion  ;  but  on  all  other  grounds,  I  shall  maintain  that  it 
savors  of  infidelity  to  smoke.  The  Prussian  government, 
much  the  best  of  our  times,  never  smokes.” 

This  man  thinks  he  has  a  monopoly  of  the  puffing  him¬ 
self,”  Pindar  whispered  into  the  captain’s  ear;  “whiff 

away,  my  dear  sir,  and  you’ll  soon  throw  him  into  the 
shade.” 

The  captain  winked,  drew  out  his  box,  lighted  another 
cigar,  and,  by  way  of  reply  to  the  envious  remark,  he  put 
one  in  each  comer  of  his  mouth,  and  soon  had  both  in 
full  blast,  a  state  in  which  he  kept  them  for  near  a  minute. 

“This  is  the  very  picturesque  of  social  enjoyment,”  ex¬ 
claimed  Plorio,  holding  up  both  hands  in  a  glow  of  rapture. 

‘  ‘  It  is  absolutely  Homeric,  in  the  way  of  usages  !  Ah  ! 
the  English  are  a  great  nation  !  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  should  like  to  know  excessively  if  there  was  really 
such  a  person  as  Baron  Mun-chaw-sen  ?  ”  said  Julietta, 
gathering  courage  from  the  success  of  her  last  question. 

“There  was,  Miss,”  returned  the  captain,  through  his 
teeth,  and  nodding  his  head  in  the  affirmative.  “  A  regular 
traveller,  that ;  and  one  who  knew  him  well,  swore  to  me 
that  he  hadn’t  related  one  half  of  what  befell  him.” 

“How  very  delightful  to  learn  this  from  the  highest 
quarter!”  exclaimed  Miss  Monthly. 


96 


ifDome  as  jfounb 


“Is  Gatty  (Goethe)  really  dead?”  inquired  Longinus, 
“  or  is  the  account  we  have  had  to  that  effect,  merely  a  meta¬ 
physical  apotheosis  of  his  mighty  soul  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Dead,  marm — stone  dead — dead  as  a  door-nail,” 
returned  the  captain,  who  saw  a  relief  in  killing  as  many  as 
possible. 

“You  have  been  in  France,  Mr.  Truck,  beyond  ques¬ 
tion?  ”  observed  Lucius  Junius  Brutus,  in  the  way  one  puts 
a  question. 

“France!  I  was  in  France  before  I  was  ten  3rears  old. 
I  know  every  foot  of  the  coast,  from  Havre  de  Grace  to  Mar¬ 
seilles.” 

‘  ‘  Will  you  then  have  the  goodness  to  explain  to  us 
whether  the  soul  of  is  more  expanded  than 

his  reason,  or  his  reason  more  expanded  than  his  soul?” 

Captain  Truck  had  a  very  tolerable  notion  of  Baron  Mun¬ 
chausen  and  of  his  particular  merits ;  but  Chateaubriand 
was  a  writer  of  whom  he  knew  nothing.  After  pondering  a 
moment,  and  feeling  persuaded  that  a  confession  of  ignorance 
might  undo  him,  for  the  old  man  had  got  to  be  influenced  by 
the  atmosphere  of  the  place,  he  answered  coolly, — 

‘  ‘  Oh  !  Chat-to-bn-ong ,  is  it  you  mean  ?  As  whole-souled 
a  fellow  as  I  know.  All  soul,  sir,  and  lots  of  reason, 
besides.” 

“  How  simple  and  unaffected  !  ” 

“  Crack  !  ”  exclaimed  Florio. 

“A  thorough  Jacobin!”  growled  Captain  Kant,  who 
was  always  offended  when  any  one  but  himself  took  liberties 
with  the  truth. 

Here  the  four  wags  in  the  corner  observed  that  head  went 
to  head  in  the  crowd,  and  that  the  rear  rank  of  the  company 
began  to  disappear,  while  Mrs.  Legend  was  in  evident 
distress.  In  a  few  minutes  all  the  Romans  were  off ;  Florio 
soon  after  vanished,  grating  his  teeth  in  a  poetical  frenzy  ; 
and  even  Captain  Kant,  albeit  so  used  to  look  truth  in  the 
face,  beat  a  retreat.  The  alphabet  followed,  and  even  the 
Annual  and  the  Monthly  retired,  with  leave-takings  so 
solemn  and  precise,  that  poor  Mrs.  Legend  was  in  total  de¬ 
spair. 


ibome  as  ffounfc 


91 


Kve,  foreseeing  something  unpleasant,  had  gone  away 
first,  and  in  a  few  minutes  Mr.  Dodge,  who  had  been  very 
active  in  the  crowd,  whispering  and  gesticulating,  made  his 
bow  also.  The  envy  of  this  man  had  in  fact  become  so  intol¬ 
erable,  that  he  had  let  the  cat  out  of  the  bag.  No  one  now 
remained  but  the  party  entrenched  behind  the  smoke,  and 
the  mistress  of  the  house.  Pindar  solemnly  proposed  to  the 
captain  that  they  should  go  and  enjoy  an  oyster  supper  in 
company  ;  and  the  proposal  being  cordially  accepted,  they 
rose  in  a  body  to  take  leave. 

“A  most  delightful  evening,  Mrs.  Legend,”  said  Pindar, 
with  perfect  truth,  “  much  the  pleasantest  I  ever  passed  in 
a  house  where  one  passes  so  many  that  are  agreeable.” 

“  I  cannot  properly  express  my  thanks  for  the  obligation 
you  have  conferred  by  making  me  acquainted  with  Mr. 
Truck,”  added  Gray.  “  I  shall  cultivate  it  as  far  as  in  my 
power,  for  a  more  capital  fellow  never  breathed.” 

‘  Really,  Mrs.  Legend,  this  has  been  a  Byronic  night  !  ” 
observed  Pith,  as  he  made  his  bow.  “  I  shall  long  remem¬ 
ber  it,  and  I  think  it  deserves  to  be  commemorated  in 
verse.” 

Fun  endeavored  to  look  sympathetic  and  sentimental, 
though  the  spirit  within  could  scarcely  refrain  from  grinning 
in  Mrs.  Legend’s  face.  He  stammered  out  a  few  compli¬ 
ments,  however,  and  disappeared. 

”  Well,  good  night,  marm,”  said  Captain  Truck,  offering 
his  hand  cordially.  “This  has  been  a  pleasant  evening 
altogether,  though  it  was  warm  work  at  first.  If  you  like 
ships,  I  should  be  glad  to  show  }X>u  the  Montauk’s  cabins 
when  we  get  back  ;  and  if  you  ever  think  of  Kurope,  let  me 
recommend  the  London  line  as  none  of  the  worst.  We’ll 
try  to  make  you  comfortable,  and  trust  to  me  to  choose  a 
state-room — a  thing  I  am  experienced  in.” 

Not  one  of  the  wags  laughed  until  they  were  fairly  con¬ 
fronted  with  the  oysters.  Then,  indeed,  they  burst  out  into 
a  general  and  long  fit  of  exuberant  merriment,  returning  to 
it  between  the  courses  from  the  kitchen  like  the  refrain  of 
a  song.  Captain  Truck,  who  was  uncommonly  well  satisfied 
with  himseli,  did  not  understand  the  meaning  of  all  this  boy- 


Ibonte  as  jfounb 


q8 

✓ 


ishness,  but  he  has  often  declared  since  that  a  heartier  or  a 
funnier  set  of  fellows  he  never  fell  in  with,  than  his  four 
companions  proved  to  be  that  night. 

As  for  the  literary  soiree ,  the  most  profound  silence  has 
been  maintained  concerning  it,  neither  of  the  wits  there  as¬ 
sembled  having  seen  fit  to  celebrate  it  in  rhyme,  and  Florio 
having  actually  torn  up  an  impromptu  for  the  occasion,  that 
he  had  been  all  the  previous  day  writing. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

“There  is  a  history  in  all  men’s  lives, 

Figuring  the  nature  of  the  times  deceased, 

The  which  observed,  a  man  may  prophesy 
With  a  near  aim,  of  the  main  chance  of  things, 

As  yet  not  come  to  life.” 

King  Henry  VI. 

THE  following  morning  the  baronet  breakfasted  in 
Hudson  Square.  While  at  table,  little  was  said 
concerning  the  events  of  the  past  night,  though 
sundry  smiles  were  exchanged,  as  eye  met  eye, 
and  the  recollection  of  the  mystification  returned.  Grace 
alone  looked  grave  ;  for  she  had  been  accustomed  to  consider 
Mrs.  Eegend  a  very  discriminating  person,  and  she  had  even 
hoped  that  most  of  those  who  usually  figured  in  her  rooms 
were  really  the  clever  persons  they  laid  claim  to  be. 

The  morning  was  devoted  to  looking  at  the  quarter  of 
the  town  which  is  devoted  to  business,  a  party  having  been 
made  for  that  express  purpose  under  the  auspices  of  John 
Effingham.  As  the  weather  was  very  cold,  although  the 
distances  were  not  great,  the  carriages  were  ordered,  and 
they  all  set  off  about  noon. 

Grace  had  given  up  expecting  a  look  of  admiration  from 
Eve  in  behalf  of  any  of  the  lions  of  New  York,  her  cousin 
having  found  it  necessary  to  tell  her,  that,  in  a  comparative 
sense  at  least,  little  was  to  be  said  in  behalf  of  these  pro¬ 
vincial  wonders.  Even  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  now  that 
the  freshness  of  her  feelings  was  abated,  had  dropped  quietly 
down  into  a  natural  w^ay  of  speaking  of  these  things  ;  and 
Grace,  who  wTas  quick-witted,  soon  discovered  that  when 
she  did  make  any  allusions  to  similar  objects  in  Europe,  it 


IOO 


Ifoome  as  ffounb 


was  always  to  those  that  existed  in  some  country  town.  A 
silent  convention  existed,  therefore,  to  speak  no  more  on 
such  subjects  ;  or,  if  anything  was  said,  it  arose  incidentally 
and  as  inseparable  from  the  regular  thread  of  the  discourse. 

When  in  Wall  Street,  the  carriages  stopped  and  the  gen¬ 
tlemen  alighted.  The  severity  of  the  weather  kept  the  ladies 
in  the  chariot,  where  Grace  endeavored  to  explain  things  as 
well  as  she  could  to  her  companions. 

“What  are  all  these  people  running  after  so  intently  ?’  ’ 
inquired  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  the  conversation  being  in 
French,  but  which  we  shall  render  freely  into  English,  for 
the  sake  of  the  general  reader. 

“  Dollars,  I  believe,  Mademoiselle.  Am  I  right,  Grace?  ” 

“  I  believe  you  are,”  returned  Grace,  laughing,  “though 
I  know  little  more  of  this  part  of  the  town  than  yourself.” 

“  Quelle  foule  !  Is  that  building  filled  with  dollars,  into 
which  the  gentlemen  are  now  entering  ?  Its  steps  are 
crowded.” 

“That  is  the  Bourse ,  Mademoiselle,  and  it  ought  to  be 
well  lined,  by  the  manner  in  which  some  who  frequent  it 
live.  Cousin  Jack  and  Sir  George  are  going  into  the  crowd, 
I  see.” 

We  will  leave  the  ladies  in  their  seats  a  few  minutes,  and 
accompany  the  gentlemen  on  their  way  into  the  Exchange. 

“  I  shall  now  show  you,  Sir  George  Templemore,”  said 
John  Effingham,  “what  is  peculiar  to  this  country,  and 
what,  if  properly  improved,  it  is  truly  worth  a  journey  across 
the  ocean  to  see.  You  have  been  at  the  Royal  Exchange 
in  Eondon,  and  at  the  Bourse  of  Paris,  but  you  have  never 
witnessed  a  scene  like  that  which  I  am  about  to  introduce 
you  to.  In  Paris,  you  have  beheld  the  unpleasant  spectacle 
of  women  gambling  publicly  in  the  funds  ;  but  it  was  in 
driblets,  compared  to  what  you  will  see  here.” 

While  speaking,  John  Effingham  led  the  way  up-stairs 
into  the  office  of  one  of  the  most  considerable  auctioneers. 
The  walls  wTere  lined  with  maps,  some  representing  houses, 
some  lots,  some  streets,  some  entire  towns. 

“This  is  the  focus  of  what  Aristabulus  Bragg  calls  the 
town  trade,”  said  John  Effingham,  when  fairly  confronted 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


IOI 


with  all  these  wonders.  “  Here,  therr,  you  may  suit  your¬ 
self  with  any  species  of  real  estate  that  heart  can  desire]  If 
a  villa  is  wanted,  there  are  a  dozen.  Of  farms  a  hundred 
are  in  market  ;  that  is  merely  half  a  dozen  streets  ;  and 
here  are  towns,  of  dimensions  and  value  to  suit  purchasers.” 

“  Explain  this.  It  exceeds  comprehension.” 

“  It  is  simply  what  it  professes  to  be.  Mr.  Hammer,  do 
us  the  favor  to  step  this  way.  Are  you  selling  to-day  ?  ’  ’ 

‘‘Not  much,  sir.  Only  a  hundred  or  two  lots  on  this 
island,  and  some  six  or  eight  farms,  with  one  Western 
village.” 

‘‘Can  you  tell  us  the  history  of  this  particular  piece  of 
property,  Mr.  Hammer  ?  ’  ’ 

“  With  great  pleasure,  Mr.  Effingham  ;  we  know  you  to 
have  means,  and  hope  you  may  be  induced  to  purchase. 
This  was  the  farm  of  old  Volkert  Van  Brunt,  five  years 
since,  off  of  which  he  and  his  family  had  made  a  livelihood 
for  more  than  a  century,  by  selling  milk.  Two  years  since, 
the  sons  sold  it  to  Peter  Feeler  for  a  hundred  an  acre,  or 
for  the  total  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars.  The  next  spring 
Mr.  Feeler  sold  it  to  John  Search,  as  keen  a  one  as  we 
have,  for  twenty-five  thousand.  Search  sold  it  at  private 
sale  to  Nathan  Rise  for  fifty  thousand  the  next  week,  and 
Rise  had  parted  with  it  to  a  company,  before  the  purchase, 
for  a  hundred  and  twelve  thousand,  cash.  The  map  ought 
to  be  taken  down — for  it  is  now  eight  months  since  we 
sold  it  out  in  lots,  at  auction,  for  the  gross  sum  of  three  hun¬ 
dred  thousand  dollars.  As  we  have  received  our  commission, 
we  look  at  that  land  as  out  of  the  market  for  a  time.” 

Have  you  other  property,  sir,  that  affords  the  same 
wonderful  history  of  a  rapid  advance  in  value?  ”  asked  the 
baronet. 

“  These  walls  are  covered  with  maps  of  estates  in  the 
same  predicament.  Some  have  risen  two  or  three  thou¬ 
sand  per  cent,  within  five  years,  and  some  only  a  few  hun¬ 
dred.  There  is  no  calculating  in  the  matter — for  it  is  all 
fancy.” 

“  And  on  what  is  this  enormous  increase  in  value  founded  ? 
Does  the  town  extend  to  these  fields  ?  ’  ’ 


102 


IfDome  as  ffounfc 


1  ‘  It  goes  much  farther,  sir  ;  that  is  to  say,  on  paper.  In 
the  way  of  houses,  it  is  still  some  miles  short  of  them.  A 
good  deal  depends  on  what  yon  call  a  thing,  in  this  market. 
Now,  if  old  Volkert  Van  Brunt’s  property  had  been  still 
called  a  farm,  it  would  have  brought  a  farm  price ;  but,  as 
soon  as  it  was  survej^ed  into  lots,  and  mapped — ” 

‘  ‘  Mapped  !  ’  ’ 

“  Yes,  sir  ;  brought  into  visible  lines,  with  feet  and  inches. 
As  soon  as  it  was  properly  mapped,  it  rose  to  its  just  value. 
We  have  a  good  deal  of  the  bottom  of  the  sea  that  brings 

v.  •  •  .  ^ 

fair  prices  in  consequence  of  being  well  mapped.” 

Here  the  gentlemen  expressed  their  sense  of  the  auction¬ 
eer’s  politeness,  and  retired. 

“We  will  now  go  into  the  sales-room,”  said  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  “  where  you  shall  judge  of  the  spirit,  or  energy,  as  it 
is  termed,  which  at  this  moment  actuates  this  great  nation.” 

Descending,  they  entered  a  crowd,  where  scores  were 
eagerly  bidding  against  each  other,  in  the  fearful  delusion 
of  growing  rich  b}^  pushing  a  fancied  value  to  a  point  still 
higher.  One  was  purchasing  ragged  rocks,  another  the 
bottom  of  rivers,  a  third  a  bog,  and  all  on  the  credit  of 
\  maps.  Our  two  observers  remained  some  time  silent  spec¬ 
tators  of  the  scene. 

“  When  I  first  entered  that  room,”  said  John  Effingham, 
as  they  left  the  place,  “  it  appeared  to  me  to  be  filled  with 
maniacs.  Now,  that  I  have  been  in  it  several  times,  the 
impression  is  not  much  altered.” 

And  all  those  persons  are  hazarding  their  means  of 
subsistence  on  the  imaginary  estimate  mentioned  by  the 
auctioneer?  ” 

“They  are  gambling  as  recklessly  as  he  who  places  his 
substance  on  the  cast  of  the  die.  So  completely  has  the 
mania  seized  every  one,  that  the  obvious  truth — a  truth 
which  is  as  apparent  as  any  other  law  of  nature — that 
nothing  can  be  sustained  without  a  foundation,  is  com¬ 
pletely  overlooked,  and  he  who  should  now  proclaim,  in  this 
building,  principles  that  bitter  experience  will  cause  every 
man  to  feel  within  the  next  few  years,  would  be  happ)^  if 
he  escaped  being  stoned.  I  have  witnessed  many  similar 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


103 


excesses  in  the  way  of  speculation  ;  but  never  an  instance 
as  gross,  as  wide-spread,  and  as  alarming  as  this.” 

“  You  apprehend  serious  consequences,  then,  from  the 
reaction  ?  ’  ’ 

“  In  that  particular  we  are  better  off  than  older  nations, 
the  youth  and  real  stamina  of  the  country  averting  much 
of  the  danger ;  but  I  anticipate  a  terrible  blow,  and  that 
the  day  is  not  remote  when  this  town  will  awake  to  a  sense 
of  its  illusion.  What  you  see  here  is  but  a  small  part  of 
the  extravagance  that  exists  ;  for  it  pervades  the  whole 
community  in  one  shape  or  another.  Extravagant  issues 
of  paper  money,  inconsiderate  credits  that  commence  in 
Europe  and  extend  throughout  the  land,  and  false  notions 
as  to  the  value  of  their  possessions,  in  men  who  five  years 
since  had  nothing,  has  completely  destroyed  the  usual 
balance  of  things,  and  money  has  got  to  be  so  completely 
the  end  of  life,  that  few  think  of  it  as  a  means.  The 
history  of  the  world,  probably,  cannot  furnish  a  parallel 
instance  of  an  extensive  country  that  is  so  absolutely  under 
this  malign  influence,  as  is  the  fact  with  our  own  at  this 
present  instant.  All  principles  are  swallowed  up  in  the 
absorbing  desire  for  gain — national  honor,  permanent  secu¬ 
rity,  the  ordinary  rules  of  society,  law,  the  constitution,  and 
everything  that  is  usually  so  dear  to  men,  are  forgotten,  01- 
are  perverted  in  order  to  sustain  this  unnatural  condition  of 
things.” 

“  This  is  not  only  extraordinary,  but  it  is  fearful  !  ” 

It  is  both.  The  entire  community  is  in  the  situation 
of  a  man  who  is  in  the  incipient  stages  of  an  exhilarating 
intoxication,  and  who  keeps  pouring  down  glass  after  glass, 
in  the  idle  notion  that  he  is  merely  sustaining  nature  in  her 
ordinary  functions.  This  wide-spread  infatuation  extends 
from  the  coast  to  the  extremest  frontiers  of  the  West ;  for, 
while  there  is  a  justifiable  foundation  for  a  good  deal  of  this 
fancied  prosperity,  the  true  is  so  interwoven  with  the  false, 
that  none  but  the  most  observant  can  draw  the  distinction, 
and,  as  usual,  the  false  predominates.” 

“By  your  account,  sir,  the  tulip  mania  of  Holland  was 
trifling  compared  to  this  !  ” 


104 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


“  That  was  the  same  in  principle  as  our  own,  but  insig¬ 
nificant  in  extent.  Could  I  lead  you  through  these  streets, 
and  let  you  into  the  secret  of  the  interests,  hopes,  infatua¬ 
tions,  and  follies  that  prevail  in  the  human  breast,  you,  as 
a  calm  spectator,  would  be  astonished  at  the  manner  in 
which  your  own  species  can  be  deluded.  But  let  us  move, 
and  something  may  still  occur  to  offer  an  example.’ ’ 

“  Mr.  Effingham — I  beg  pardon — Mr.  Effingham,”  said  a 
very  gentlemanly-looking  merchant,  who  was  walking  about 
the  hall  of  the  Exchange,  “  what  do  you  think  now  of  our 
French  quarrel  ?  ” 

“  I  have  told  you,  Mr.  Bale,  all  I  have  to  say  on  that 
subject.  When  in  France,  I  wrote  3^011  that  it  was  not  the 
intention  of  the  French  government  to  comply  with  the 
treaty.  You  have  seen  this  opinion  justified  in  the  result  ; 
you  have  the  declaration  of  the  French  minister  of  state, 
that  without  an  apology  from  this  government,  the  money 
will  not  be  paid  ;  and  I  have  given  it  as  my  opinion,  that 
the  vane  on  yonder  steeple  will  not  turn  more  readily  than 
all  this  policy  will  be  abandoned,  should  anything  occur  in 
Europe  to  render  it  necessary,  or  could  the  French  ministry 
believe  it  possible  for  this  country  to  fight  for  a  principle. 
These  are  my  opinions  in  all  their  phases,  and  you  may 
compare  them  with  facts  and  judge  for  yourself.” 

‘‘It  is  all  General  Jackson,  sir — all  that  monster’s  do¬ 
ings.  But  for  his  message,  Mr.  Effingham,  we  should  have 
had  the  money  long  ago.” 

“  But  for  his  message,  or  some  equalty  decided  step,  Mr. 
Bale,  y 011  would  never  have  it.” 

“  Ah,  my  dear  sir,  I  know  }Tour  intentions,  but  I  fear  you 
are  prejudiced  against  that  excellent  man,  the  King  of 
France  !  Prejudice,  Mr.  Effingham,  is  a  sad  innovator  on 
justice.” 

Here  Mr.  Bale  shook  his  head,  laughed,  and  disappeared 
in  the  crowd,  perfectly  satisfied  that  John  Effingham  was  a 
prejudiced  man,  and  that  he  himself  was  only  liberal  and  just. 

“  Now,  that  is  a  man  who  wants  for  neither  abilities  nor 
honesty,  and  yet  he  permits  his  interests,  and  the  influence 
of  this  very  speculating  mania,  to  overshadow  all  his  sense 


iborne  as  tfomb 


io5 


of  right,  facts  plain  as  noonday,  and  the  only  principles  that 
can  rule  a  country  in  safety.” 

‘‘He  apprehends  war,  and  has  no  desire  to  believe  even 
facts,  so  long  as  they  serve  to  increase  the  danger.” 

‘  ‘  Precisely  so  ;  for  even  prudence  gets  to  be  a  perverted 
quality,  when  men  are  living  under  an  infatuation  like  that 
which  now  exists.  These  men  live  like  the  fool  who  says 
there  is  no  death.” 

Here  the  gentlemen  rejoined  the  ladies,  and  the  carriages 
drove  through  a  succession  of  narrow  and  crooked  streets 
that  were  lined  with  warehouses  filled  with  the  products  of 
the  civilized  world. 

“Very  much  of  all  this  is  a  part  of  the  same  lamentable 
illusion,”  said  John  Effingham,  as  the  carriages  made  their 
way  slowly  through  the  encumbered  streets.  “The  man 
who  sells  his  inland  lots  at  a  profit,  secured  by  credit,  fan¬ 
cies  himself  enriched,  and  he  extends  his  manner  of  living 
in  proportion.  The  boy  from  the  country  becomes  a  mer¬ 
chant — or  what  is  here  called  a  merchant — and  obtains  a 
credit  in  Europe  a  hundred  times  exceeding  his  means,  and 
caters  to  these  fancied  wants ;  and  thus  is  every  avenue  of 
society  thronged  with  adventurers,  the  ephemera  of  the 
same  wide-spread  spirit  of  reckless  folly.  Millions  in  value 
pass  out  of  these  streets,  that  go  to  feed  the  vanity  of  those 
who  fancy  themselves  wealthy,  because  they  hold  some 
ideal  pledges  for  the  payment  of  advances  in  price  like  those 
mentioned  by  the  auctioneer,  and  which  have  some  such  se¬ 
curity  for  the  eventual  payment,  as  one  can  find  in  calling  a 
thing  that  is  really  worth  a  dollar,  worth  a  hundred.” 

‘  ‘  Are  the  effects  of  this  state  of  things  apparent  in  your 
ordinary  associations  ?  ” 

“In  everything.  The  desire  to  grow  suddenly  rich  has 
seized  on  all  classes.  Even  women  and  clergymen  are  in¬ 
fected,  and  we  exist  under  the  active  control  of  the  most 
corrupting  of  all  influences,  ‘  the  love  of  money.’  I  should 
despair  of  the  country  altogether,  did  I  not  feel  certain  that 
the  disease  is  too  violent  to  last,  and  entertain  a  hope  that 
the  season  of  calm  reflection  and  of  repentance — that  is  to 
follow — will  be  in  proportion  to  its  causes.” 


io6 


Ifoonte  as  ffovinb 


After  taking  this  view  of  the  town,  the  party  returned  to 
Hudson  Square,  where  the  baronet  dined,  it  being  his  inten¬ 
tion  to  go  to  Washington  on  the  following  day.  The  leave- 
taking  in  the  evening  was  kind  and  friendly  ;  Mr.  Effingham, 
who  had  a  .sincere  regard  for  his  late  fellow-traveller,  cordially 
inviting  him  to  visit  him  in  the  mountains  in  June. 

As  Sir  George  took  his  leave,  the  bells  began  to  ring  for  a 
fire.  In  New  York  one  gets  so  accustomed  to  these  alarms, 
that  near  an  hour  had  passed  before  any  of  the  Effingham 
family  began  to  reflect  on  the  long  continuance  of  the  cries. 
A  servant  was  then  sent  out  to  ascertain  the  reason,  and  his 
report  made  the  matter  more  serious  than  usual. 

We  believe  that  in  the  frequency  of  these  calamities  the 
question  lies  between  Constantinople  and  New  York.  It  is  a 
common  occurrence  for  twenty  or  thirty  buildings  to  be  burnt 
down  in  the  latter  place,  and  for  the  residents  of  the  same 
ward  to  remain  in  ignorance  of  the  circumstance,  until  en¬ 
lightened  on  the  fact  by  the  daily  prints  ;  the  constant  repe¬ 
tition  of  the  alarms  hardening  the  ear  and  the  feelings  against 
the  appeal.  A  fire  of  greater  extent  than  common  had  oc¬ 
curred  only  a  night  or  two  previously  to  this  ;  and  a  rumor 
now  prevailed,  that  the  severity  of  the  weather,  and  the  con¬ 
dition  of  the  hose  and  engines,  rendered  the  present  danger 
double.  On  hearing  this  intelligence,  the  Messrs.  Effing¬ 
ham  wrapped  themselves  up  in  their  overcoats,  and  went 
together  into  the  streets. 

“  This  seems  something  more  than  usual,  Ned,”  said  John 
Effingham,  glancing  his  eye  upwards  at  the  lurid  vault, 
athwart  which  gleams  of  fiery  light  began  to  shine  ;  “  the 
danger  is  not  distant,  and  it  seems  serious.” 

Following  the  direction  of  the  current,  they  soon  found 
the  scene  of  the  conflagration,  which  was  in  the  very  heart 
of  those  masses  of  warehouses,  or  stores,  that  John  Effing¬ 
ham  had  commented  on  so  lately.  A  short  street  of  high 
buildings  was  already  completely  in  flames,  and  the  danger 
of  approaching  the  enemy,  added  to  the  frozen  condition  of 
the  apparatus,  the  exhaustion  of  the  firemen  from  their  pre¬ 
vious  efforts,  and  the  intense  coldness  of  the  night,  conspired 
to  make  the  aspect  of  things  in  the  highest  degree  alarming. 


ibome  as  jfounO 


107 


The  firemen  of  New  York  have  that  superiority  over  those 
of  other  places,  that  the  veteran  soldier  obtains  over  the 
recruit.  But  the  best  troops  can  be  appalled,  and  on  this 
memorable  occasion  these  celebrated  firemen,  from  a  variety 
of  causes,  became  for  a  time  little  more  than  passive  spec¬ 
tators  of  the  terrible  scene. 

There  was  an  hour  or  two  when  all  attempts  at  checking 
the  conflagration  seemed  really  hopeless,  and  even  the  bold¬ 
est  and  the  most  persevering  scarcely  knew  which  way  to 
turn,  to  be  useful.  A  failure  of  water,  the  numerous  points 
that  required  resistance,  the  conflagration  extending  in  all 
directions  from  a  common  centre,  by  means  of  numberless 
irregular  and  narrow  streets,  and  the  impossibility  of  with¬ 
standing  the  intense  heat  in  the  choked  passages,  soon  added 
despair  to  the  other  horrors  of  the  scene. 

They  who  stood  the  fiery  masses,  were  freezing  on  one 
side  with  the  Greenland  cold  of  the  night,  while  their  bodies 
were  almost  blistered  with  the  fierce  flames  on  the  other. 
There  was  something  frightful  in  this  contest  of  the  elements, 
nature  appearing  to  condense  the  heat  within  its  narrowest 
possible  limits,  as  if  purposely  to  increase  its  fierceness. 
The  effects  were  awful  ;  for  entire  buildings  would  seem  to 
dissolve  at  their  touch,  as  the  forked  flames  enveloped  them 
in  sheets  of  fire. 

Every  one  being  afoot,  within  sound  of  alarm,  though  all 
the  more  vulgar  cries  had  ceased,  as  men  would  deem  it 
mockery  to  cry  murder  in  a  battle,  Sir  George  Templemore 
met  his  friends  on  the  margin  of  this  sea  of  fire.  It  was 
now  drawing  towards  morning,  and  the  conflagration  was  at 
its  height,  having  already  laid  waste  a  nucleus  of  blocks, 
and  it  was  extending  by  many  lines  in  every  possible 
direction. 

‘  ‘  Here  is  a  fearful  admonition  for  those  who  set  their 
hearts  on  riches,”  observed  Sir  George  Templemore,  recall-' 
ing  the  conversation  of  the  previous  day.  “  What,  indeed, 
are  the  designs  of  man,  as  compared  with  the  will  of  Provi¬ 
dence  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  foresee  that  this  is  le  commeyicemeyit  de  la  Jin,"  returned 
John  Effingham.  “  The  destruction  is  already  so  great,  as 


io8 


Ibome  as  tfomb 


to  threaten  to  bring  down  with  it  the  usual  safeguards 
against  such  losses,  and  one  pin  knocked  out  of  so  frail  and 
delicate  a  fabric,  the  whole  will  become  loose,  and  fall  to 
pieces.  ’  ’ 

“  Will  nothing  be  done  to  arrest  the  flames  ?  ” 

“  As  men  recover  from  the  panic,  their  plans  will  improve 
and  their  energies  will  revive.  The  wider  streets  are  already 
reducing  the  fire  within  more  certain  limits,  and  they  speak 
of  a  favorable  change  of  wind.  It  is  thought  five  hundred 
buildings  have  already  been  consumed,  in  scarcely  half  a 
dozen  hours.” 

That  Exchange,  which  had  so  lately  resembled  a  bustling 
temple  of  Mammon,  was  already  a  dark  and  sheeted  ruin, 
its  marble  walls  being  cracked,  defaced,  tottering,  or  fallen. 
It  lay  on  the  confines  of  the  ruin,  and  our  party  was  enabled 
to  take  their  position  near  it,  to  observe  the  scene.  All  in 
their  immediate  vicinity  was  assuming  the  stillness  of  deso¬ 
lation,  while  the  flashes  of  fierce  light  in  the  distance  marked 
the  progress  of  the  conflagration.  Those  who  knew  the 
localities,  now  began  to  speak  of  the  natural  or  accidental 
barriers,  such  as  the  water,  the  slips,  and  the  broader  streets, 
as  the  only  probable  means  of  arresting  the  destruction. 
The  crackling  of  the  flames  grew  distant  fast,  and  the  cries 
of  the  firemen  were  now  scarcely  audible. 

At  this  period  in  the  frightful  scene,  a  party  of  seamen 
arrived,  bearing  powder,  in  readiness  to  blow  up  various 
buildings,  in  the  streets  that  possessed  of  themselves  no 
sufficient  barriers  to  the  advance  of  the  flame.  Ted  by 
their  officers,  these  gallant  fellows,  carrying  in  their  arms 
the  means  of  destruction,  moved  up  steadily  to  the  verge 
of  the  torrents  of  fire,  and  planted  their  kegs  ;  laying  their 
trains  with  the  hardy  indifference  that  practice  can  alone 
create,  and  with  an  intelligence  that  did  infinite  credit  to 
their  coolness.  This  deliberate  courage  was  rewarded  with 
complete  success,  and  house  crumbled  to  pieces  after  house, 
under  the  dull  explosions,  happily  without  an  accident. 

From  this  time  the  flames  became  less  ungovernable, 
though  the  day  dawned  and  advanced,  and  another  night 
succeeded,  before  they  could  be  said  to  be  got  fairly  under. 


Ifrotne  as  ffounfc 


109 


Weeks,  and  even  months  passed,  however,  ere  the  smoulder¬ 
ing  ruins  ceased  to  send  up  smoke,  the  fierce  element  con¬ 
tinuing  to  burn,  like  a  slumbering  volcano,  as  it  might  be  in 
the  bowels  of  the  earth. 

The  day  that  succeeded  this  disaster  was  memorable  for 
the  rebuke  it  gave  the  rapacious  longing  for  wealth.  Men 
who  had  set  their  hearts  on  gold,  and  who  prided  themselves 
on  their  possessions,  and  on  that  only,  were  made  to  feel 
its  inanity  ;  and  they  who  had  walked  abroad  as  gods  so 
lately,  began  to  experience  how  utterly  insignificant  are  the 
merely  rich,  when  stripped  of  their  possessions.  Eight  hun¬ 
dred  buildings,  containing  fabrics  of  every  kind,  and  the 
raw  material  in  various  forms,  had  been  destroyed,  as  it 
were  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 

A  faint  voice  was  heard  from  the  pulpit,  and  there  was 
a  moment  when  those  who  remembered  a  better  state  of 
things,  began  to  fancy  that  principles  would  once  more 
assert  their  ascendency,  and  that  the  community  would,  in 
a  measure,  be  purified.  But  this  expectation  ended  in  dis¬ 
appointment,  the  infatuation  being  too  wide-spread  and  cor¬ 
rupting  to  be  stopped  by  even  this  check,  and  the  rebuke 
was  reserved  for  a  form  that  seems  to  depend  on  a  law  of 
nature,  that  of  causing  a  vice  to  bring  with  it  its  own  infal¬ 
lible  punishment. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

“  First,  tell  me,  have  you  ever  been  at  Pisa  ?  ” 

Shakespeare. 

THE  conflagration  alluded  to  rather  than  described, 
in  the  preceding  chapter,  threw  a  gloom  over  the 
gayeties  of  New  York — if  that  ever  could  be 
properly  called  gay,  which  was  little  more  than  a 
strife  in  prodigality  and  parade — and  leaves  us  little  more 
to  say  of  the  events  of  the  winter.  Eve  regretted  very  little 
the  interruption  to  .scenes  in  which  she  had  found  no  pleas¬ 
ure,  however  much  she  lamented  the  cause  ;  and  she  and 
Grace  passed  the  remainder  of  the  season  quietly  cultivating 
the  friendship  of  such  women  as  Mrs.  Hawker  and  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  and  devoting  hours  to  the  improvement  of  their 
minds  and  tastes,  without  ever  again  venturing,  however, 
within  the  hallowed  precincts  of  such  rooms  as  those  of  Mrs. 
Regend. 

One  consequence  of  a  state  of  rapacious  infatuation,  like 
that  we  have  just  related,  is  the  intensity  of  selfishness 
which  smothers  all  recollection  of  the  past,  and  all  just  an¬ 
ticipations  of  the  future,  by  condensing  life,  with  its  motives 
and  enjoyments,  into  the  present  moment.  Captain  Truck, 
therefore,  was  soon  forgotten,  and  the  literati,  as  that  worthy 
seaman  had  termed  the  associates  of  Mrs.  Legend,  remained 
just  as  vapid,  as  conceited,  as  ignorant,  as  imitative,  as  de¬ 
pendent,  and  as  provincial  as  ever. 

As  the  season  advanced,  our  heroine  began  to  look  with 
longings  towards  the  country.  The  town  life  of  an  Ameri¬ 
can  offers  little  to  one  accustomed  to  a  town  life  in  older  and 
more  permanently  regulated  communities ;  and  Eve  was 


Ibome  as  jFounft 


III 


already  heartily  weary  of  crowded  and  noisy  balls  (for  a  few 
were  still  given),  belles,  the  struggles  of  an  uninstructed  taste, 
and  a  representation  in  which  extravagance  was  so  seldom 
relieved  by  the  elegance  and  convenience  of  a  condition  of 
society  in  which  more  attention  is  paid  to  the  fitness  of  things. 

The  American  spring  is  the  least  pleasant  of  its  four  sea¬ 
sons,  its  character  being  truly  that  of  “winter  lingering  in 
the  lap  of  May.”  Mr.  Effingham,  whom  the  reader  will 
probably  suspect  by  this  time  to  be  a  descendant  of  a  family 
of  the  same  name  that  we  have  had  occasion  to  introduce 
into  another  work,  had  sent  orders  to  have  his  country  resi¬ 
dence  prepared  for  the  reception  of  our  party  ;  and  it  was 
with  a  feeling  of  delight  that  Eve  stepped  on  board  a  steam¬ 
boat  to  escape  from  a  town  that,  while  it  contained  so  much 
that  is  worthy  of  any  capital,  contains  so  much  more  that  is 
unfit  for  any  place,  in  order  to  breathe  the  pure  air,  and 
enjoy  the  tranquil  pleasure  of  the  country.  Sir  George 
Templemore  had  returned  from  his  southern  journey,  and 
made  one  of  the  party  by  express  arrangement. 

“  Now,  Eve,”  said  Grace  Van  Cortlandt,  as  the  boat 
glided  along  the  wharves,  “if  it  were  any  person  but  you, 
I  should  feel  confident  of  having  something  to  show  that 
would  extort  admiration.” 

“You  are  safe  enough  in  that  respect,  for  a  more  imposing 
object  in  its  way,  than  this  very  vessel,  eye  of  mine  never 
beheld.  It  is  positively  the  only  thing  that  deserves  the  name 
of  magnificent  I  have  yet  seen  since  our  return — unless, 
indeed,  it  may  be  magnificent  projects.” 

“  I  am  glad,  dear  coz,  there  is  this  one  magnificent  object, 
then,  to  satisfy  a  taste  so  fastidious.” 

As  Grace’s  little  foot  moved,  and  her  voice  betrayed  vexa¬ 
tion,  the  whole  party  smiled  ;  for  the  whole  party,  while  it 
felt  the  justice  of  Eve’s  observation,  saw  the  real  feeling 
that  was  at  the  bottom  of  her  cousin’s  remark.  Sir  George, 
however,  though  he  could  not  conceal  from  himself  the 
truth  of  what  had  been  said  by  the  one  party,  and  the 
weakness  betrayed  by  the  other,  had  too  much  sympathy  for 
the  provincial  patriotism  of  one  so  young  and  beautiful,  not 
to  come  to  the  rescue. 


112 


Ibotne  as  ffounD 


“You  should  remember,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,”  he  said, 

‘  ‘  that  Miss  Effingham  has  not  had  the  advantage  yet  of  see¬ 
ing  the  Delaware,  Philadelphia,  the  noble  bays  of  the  South, 
nor  -  so  much  that  is  to  be  found  out  of  the  single  town  of 
New  York.” 

“  Very  true,  and  I  hope  yet  to  see  her  a  sincere  penitent 
for  all  her  unpatriotic  admissions  against  her  own  country. 
You  have  seen  the  Capitol,  Sir  George  Templemore ;  is  it 
not  truly  one  of  the  finest  edifices  of  the  world  ?  ’  ’ 

“You  will  except  St.  Peter’s,  surely,  my  child,”  observed 
Mr.  Effingham,  smiling,  for  he  saw  that  the  baronet  was 
embarrassed  to  give  a  ready  answer. 

“  And  the  Cathedral  at  Milan,”  said  Eve,  laughing. 

“  Et  le  Louvre  !  ”  cried  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who  had 
some  such  admiration  for  everything  Parisian,  as  Grace  had 
for  everything  American. 

“  And  most  especially  the  northeast  corner  of  the  south¬ 
west  end  of  the  northwest  wing  of  Versailles,”  said  John 
Effingham,  in  his  usual  dry  manner. 

“I  see  you  are  all  against  me,”  Grace  rejoined,  “  but  I 
hope  one  day  to  be  able  to  ascertain  for  myself  the  com¬ 
parative  merits  of  things.  As  Nature  makes  rivers,  I  hope 
the  Hudson,  at  least,  will  not  be  found  unworthy  of  your 
admiration,  gentlemen  and  ladies.” 

“  You  are  safe  enough  there,  Grace,”  observed  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham,  “for  few  rivers,  perhaps  no  river,  offers  so  great  and 
so  pleasing  a  variety  in  so  short  a  distance  as  this.” 

It  was  a  lovely,  bland  morning  in  the  last  week  of  May  ; 
and  the  atmosphere  was  already  getting  the  soft  hues  of 
summer,  or  assuming  the  hazy  and  solemn  calm  that  renders 
the  season  so  quiet  and  soothing  after  the  fiercer  strife  of 
the  elements.  Under  such  a  sky,  the  Palisades  in  particu¬ 
lar  looked  well  ;  for  though  wanting  in  the  terrific  grandeur 
of  an  Alpine  nature,  and  perhaps  disproportioned  to  the 
scenery  they  adorned,  they  were  bold  and  peculiar. 

The  great  velocity  of  the  boat  added  to  the  charm  of  the 
passage,  the  scene  scarce  finding  time  to  pall  on  the  eye  ; 
for  no  sooner  was  one  object  examined  in  its  outlines,  than 
it  was  succeeded  by  another. 


Ifeome  as  jfounb 


H3 


“An  extraordinary  taste  is  afflicting  this  country  in  the 
way  of  architecture,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  as  they  stood  gaz¬ 
ing  at  the  eastern  shore  ;  “  nothing  but  a  Grecian  temple 
being  now  deemed  a  suitable  residence  for  a  man  in  these 
classical  times.  Yonder  is  a  structure,  for  instance,  of  beau¬ 
tiful  proportions,  and  at  this  distance  apparently  of  precious 
material,  and  yet  it  seems  better  suited  to  heathen  worship 
than  to  domestic  comfort.” 

“  The  malady  has  affected  the  whole  nation,”  returned  hi3 
cousin,  “like  the  spirit  of  speculation.  We  are  passing 
from  one  extreme  to  the  other,  in  this  as  in  other  things. 
One  such  temple  well  placed  in  a  wood,  might  be  a  pleasant 
object  enough  ;  but  to  see  a  river  lined  with  them,  with 
children  trundling  hoops  before  their  doors,  beef  carried 
into  their  kitchens,  and  smoke  issuing,  moreover,  from  those 
unclassical  objects,  chimneys,  is  too  much  even  for  a  high 
taste ;  one  might  as  well  live  in  a  fever.  Mr.  Aristabulus 
Bragg,  who  is  a  wag  in  his  way,  informs  me  that  there  is 
one  town  in  the  interior  that  has  actually  a  market-house 
on  the  plan  of  the  Parthenon  !  ’  ’ 

“  II  Capo  di  Bovo  would  be  a  more  suitable  model  for 
such  a  structure,  ’  ’  said  Eve,  smiling.  ‘  ‘  But  I  think  I  have 
heard  that  the  classical  taste  of  our  architects  is  anything 
but  rigid.” 

“  This  was  the  case,  rather  than  is,”  returned  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  “  as  witness  all  these  temples.  The  country  has  made 
a  quick  and  a  great  pas  en  avanty  in  the  way  of  the  fine 
arts,  and  the  fact  shows  what  might  be  done  with  so  ready 
a  people  under  a  suitable  direction.  The  stranger  who 
comes  among  us  is  apt  to  hold  the  art  of  the  nation  cheap, 
but  as  all  things  are  comparative,  let  him  inquire  into  its 
state  ten  years  since,  and  look  at  it  to-day.  The  fault  just 
now  is  perhaps  to  consult  the  books  too  rigidly,  and  to  trust  . 
too  little  to  invention  ;  for  no  architecture,  and  especially 
no  domestic  architecture,  can  ever  be  above  serious  re¬ 
proach,  until  climate,  the  uses  of  the  edifice,  and  the  situa¬ 
tion,  are  respected  as  leading  considerations.  Nothing  can 
be  uglier,  per  sc ,  than  a  Swiss  cottage,  or  anything  more 

beautiful  under  its  precise  circumstances.  As  regards  these 
8 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


114 


mushroom  temples  which  are  the  offspring  of  Mammon,  let 
them  be  dedicated  to  whom  they  may,  I  should  exactly  re¬ 
verse  the  opinion  and  say,  that  while  nothing  can  be  much 
more  beautiful,  per  se,  nothing  can  be  in  worse  taste  than  to 
put  them  where  they  are.” 

“We  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  what  Mr.  John 
Effingham  can  do  in  the  way  of  architecture,”  said  Grace, 
who  loved  to  revenge  some  of  her  fancied  wrongs,  by  turn¬ 
ing  the  tables  on  her  assailant,  “for  I  understand  he  has 
been  improving  on  the  original  labors  of  that  notorious 
Palladio,  Master  Hiram  Doolittle  !  ” 

The  whole  party  laughed,  and  every  eye  was  turned  on 
the  gentleman  alluded  to,  expecting  his  answer. 

“You  will  remember,  good  people,”  answered  the  accused 
by  implication,  “  that  1113"  plans  were  handed  over  to  me  from 
my  great  predecessor,  and  that  they  were  originally  of  the 
composite  order.  If,  therefore,  the  house  should  turn  out  to 
be  a  little  complex  and  mixed,  3^ou  will  do  me  the  justice  to 
remember  this  important  fact.  At  all  events,  I  have  con¬ 
sulted  comfort ;  and  that,  I  would  maintain,  in  the  face  of 
Vitruvius  himself,  is  a  sine  quci  7ion  in  domestic  architec¬ 
ture.” 

“I  took  a  run  into  Connecticut  the  other  day,”  said  Sir 
George  Templemore,  “  and,  at  a  place  called  New  Haven,  I 
saw  the  commencement  of  a  taste  that  bids  fair  to  make  a 
most  remarkable  town.  It  is  true,  you  cannot  expect  struc¬ 
tures  of  much  pretension  in  the  way  of  cost  and  magnitude 
in  this  country,  but,  so  far  as  fitness  and  forms  are  concerned, 
if  what  I  hear  be  true,  and  the  next  fifty  years  do  as  much 
in  proportion  for  that  little  city,  as  I  understand  has  been 
done  in  the  last  five,  it  will  be  altogether  a  wonder  in  its 
way.  There  are  some  abortions,  it  is  true,  but  there  are 
also  some  little  jewels.” 

The  baronet  was  rewarded  for  this  opinion  by  a  smile 
from  Grace,  and  the  conversation  changed.  As  the  boat 
approached  the  mountains,  Eve  became  excu.te,d— a  -very 
American  .state  of  the  system,  by  the  way — and  Grace  still 
more  anxious. 

“The  view  of  that  bluff  is  Italian,”  said  our  heroine, 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


115 

pointing  down  the  river  at  a  noble  headland  of  rock,  that 
loomed  grandly  in  the  soft  haze  of  the  tranquil  atmosphere. 

“  One  seldom  sees  a  finer  or  a  softer  outline  on  the  shores 
of  the  Mediterranean  itself.” 

“  But  the  Highlands,  Eve  !  ”  whispered  the  uneasy  Grace. 
“We  are  entering  the  mountains.” 

The  river  narrowed  suddenly,  and  the  scenery  became 
bolder,  but  neither  Eve  nor  her  father  expressed  the  rapture 
that  Grace  expected.  v 

“I  must  confess,  Jack,”  said  the  mild,  thoughtful  Mr. 
Effingham,  “that  these  rocks  strike  my  eyes  as  much  less 
imposing  than  formerly.  The  passage  is  fine,  beyond  ques¬ 
tion,  but  it  is  hardly  grand  scenery.” 

“You  never  uttered  a  juster  opinion,  Ned,  though  after 
your  eye  loses  some  of  the  forms  of  the  Swiss  and  Italian 
lakes,  and  of  the  shores  of  Italy,  you  will  think  better  of 
these.  The  Highlands  are  remarkable  for  their  surprises^ 
rather  than  for  their  grandeur,  as  we  shall  presently  see. 
As  to  the  latter,  it  is  an  affair  of  feet  and  inches,  and  is 
capable  of  arithmetical  demonstration.  We  have  often  been 
on  lakes,  beneath  beetling  cliffs  of  from  three  to  six  thou¬ 
sand  feet  in  height ;  whereas,  here,  the  greatest  elevation  is 
materially  less  than  two.  But,  Sir  George  Templemore, 
and  you,  Miss  Effingham,  do  me  the  favor  to  combine  your 
cunning,  and  tell  me  whence  this  stream  cometh,  and  whither 
wTe  are  to  go  ?  ” 

The  boat  had  now  approached  a  point  where  the  river 
was  narrowed  to  a  width  not  much  exceeding  a  quarter  of 
a  mile,  and  in  that  direction  in  which  it  was  steering,  the 
water  seemed  to  become  still  more  contracted  until  they 
were  lost  in  a  sort  of  bay  that  appeared  to  be  closed  by  high 
hills,  through  which,  however,  there  were  traces  of  some¬ 
thing  like  a  passage. 

“  The  land  in  that  direction  looks  as  if  it  had  a  ravine-like 
entrance,  ’  ’  said  the  baronet ;  ‘  ‘  and  yet  it  is  scarcely  possible 
that  a  stream  like  this  can  flow  there  !  ’  ’ 

“  If  the  Hudson  truly  passes  through  those  mountains,” 
said  Eve,  ‘  ‘  I  will  concede  all  in  its  favor  that  you  can  ask, 
Grace.  ’  ’ 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


1 16 


‘  ‘  Where  else  can  it  pass  ?  ’ 5  demanded  Grace,  exultingly. 

“Sure  enough — I  see  no  other  place,  and  that  seems 
insufficient.” 

The  two  strangers  to  the  river  now  looked  curiously 
around  them  in  every7  direction.  Behind  them  was  a  broad 
and  lake-like  basin,  through  which  they  had  just  passed  ;  on 
the  left,  a  barrier  of  precipitous  hills,  the  elevation  of  which 
was  scarcely  less  than  a  thousand  feet ;  on  their  right,  a  high 
but  broken  country,  studded  with  villas,  farm-houses,  and 
hamlets  ;  and  in  their  front  the  deep  but  equivocal  bay 
mentioned. 

‘  ‘  I  see  no  escape  !  ’  ’  cried  the  baronet,  gayly,  ‘  ‘  unless 
indeed  it  be  by  returning.” 

A  sudden  and  broad  sheer  of  the  boat  caused  it  to  turn  to 
the  left,  and  then  they  whirled  round  an  angle  of  the  preci¬ 
pice,  and  found  themselves  in  a  reach  of  the  river,  between 
steep  declivities,  running  at  right  angles  to  their  former 
course. 

“  This  is  one  of  the  surprises  of  which  I  spoke,”  said  John 
Effingham,  “and  which  render  the  Highlands  so  unique ; 
for,  while  the  Rhine  is  very  sinuous,  it  has  nothing  like 
this.” 

The  other  travellers  agreed  in  extolling  this  and  many 
similar  features  of  the  scenery,  and  Grace  was  delighted  ; 
for,  warm-hearted,  affectionate,  and  true,  Grace  loved  her 
country  like  a  relative  or  a  friend,  and  took  an  honest  pride 
in  hearing  its  praises.  The  patriotism  of  Eve,  if  a  word  of 
a  meaning  so  lofty  can  be  applied  to  feelings  of  this  nature, 
was  more  discriminating  from  necessity,  her  tastes  having 
been  formed  in  a  higher  school,  and  her  means  of  compari¬ 
son  being  so  much  more  ample.  At  West  Point  they 
stopped  for  the  night,  and  here  everybody  was  in  honest 
raptures ;  Grace,  who  had  often  visited  the  place  before, 
being  actually  the  least  so  of  the  whole  part)7. 

“  Now,  Eve,  I  know  that  you  do  love  your  country,”  she 
said,  as  she  slipped  an  arm  affectionately  through  that  of 
her  cousin.  “  This  is  feeling  and  speaking  like  an  Ameri¬ 
can  girl,  and  as  Eve  Effingham  should  !  ” 

Eve  laughed,  but  she  had  discovered  that  the  provincial 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


117 


feeling  was  so  strong  in  Grace,  that  its  discussion  would 
probably  do  no  good.  She  dwelt,  therefore,  with  sincere 
eloquence  on  the  beauties  of  the  place,  and  for  the  first  time 
since  they  had  met,  her  cousin  felt  as  if  there  was  no  longer 
any  point  of  dissension  between  them. 

The  following  morning  was  the  first  of  June,  and  it  wras 
another  of  those  drowsy,  dreamy  days,  that  so  much  aid  a 
landscape.  The  party  embarked  in  the  first  boat  that  came 
up,  and  as  they  entered  Newburgh  bay,  the  triumph  of  the 
river  w7as  established.  This  is  a  spot,  in  sooth,  that  has  few 
equals  in  any  region,  though  Eve  still  insisted  that  the  ex¬ 
cellence  of  the  view  was  in  its  softness  rather  than  in  its 
grandeur.  The  country-houses,  or  boxes,  for  few  could 
claim  to  be  much  more,  were  neat,  well  placed,  and  exceed¬ 
ingly  numerous.  The  heights  around  the  towTn  of  New¬ 
burgh,  in  particular,  were  fairly  dotted  with  them,  though 
Mr.  Effingham  shook  his  head  as  he  saw  one  Grecian  temple 
appear  after  another. 

“  As  we  recede  from  the  influence  of  the  vulgar  archi¬ 
tects,  ’  ’  he  said,  ‘  ‘  we  find  imitation  taking  the  place  of 
instruction.  Many  of  these  buildings  are  obviously  dispro- 
portioned,  and  then,  like  vulgar  pretension  of  any  sort, 
Grecian  architecture  produces  less  pleasure  than  even 
Dutch.” 

“  I  am  surprised  at  discovering  how  little  of  a  Dutch 
character  remains  in  this  State,”  said  the  baronet,  “I  can 
scarcely  trace  that  people  in  anything,  and  yet  I  believe  they 
had  the  moulding  of  your  society,  having  carried  the  colony 
through  its  infancy.  ’  ’ 

“  When  you  know  us  better  you  will  be  surprised  at  dis¬ 
covering  how  little  of  anything  remains  a  dozen  years,” 
returned  John  Effingham.  “Our  towns  pass  away  in  gen^q 
erations  like  their  people,  and  even  the  names  of  a  place 
undergo  periodical  mutations,  as  well  as  everything  else.  It 
is  getting  to  be  a  predominant  feeling  in  the  American  nature, 

I  fear,  to  love  change.” 

“  But,  cousin  Jack,  do  you  not  overlook  causes,  in  your 
censure?  That  a  nation  advancing  as  fast  as  this  in  wealth 
and  numbers,  should  desire  better  structures  than  its 


1 18 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


fathers  had  either  the  means  or  the  taste  to  build,  and 
that  names  should  change  with  persons,  are  both  quite 
in  rule.” 

“All  very  true,  though  it  does  not  account  for  the  pecul¬ 
iarity  I  mean.  Take  Templeton,  for  instance  ;  this  little 
place  has  not  essentially  increased  in  numbers  within  my 
memory,  and  yet  fully  one  half  its  names  are  new.  When 
he  reaches  his  own  home,  your  father  will  not  know  even 
the  names  of  one  half  his  neighbors.  Not  only  will  he  meet 
with  new  faces,  but  he  will  find  new  feelings,  new  opinions 
in  the  place  of  traditions  that  he  may  love,  an  indifference 
to  everything  but  the  present  moment,  and  even  those  who 
may  have  better  feelings,  and  a  wish  to  cherish  all  that  be¬ 
longs  to  the  holier  sentiments  of  man,  afraid  to  utter  them 
lest  they  meet  with  no  sympathy.” 

“  No  cats,  as  Mr.  Bragg  would  say.” 

“Jack  is  one  who  never  paints  e7i  beau,”  said  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham.  “  I  should  be  very  .sorry  to  believe  that  a  dozen  short 
years  can  have  made  all  these  essential  changes  in  my  neigh¬ 
borhood.” 

“  A  dozen  years,  Ned  !  You  name  an  age.  Speak  of  three 
or  four,  if  you  wish  to  find  anything  in  America,  where  you 
left  it  !  The  whole  country  is  in  such  a  constant  state  of  mu¬ 
tation,  that  I  can  only  liken  it  to  the  game  of  children,  in 
which,  as  one  quits  his  corner  another  runs  into  it,  and  he  that 
finds  no  corner  to  get  into,  is  the  laughing-stock  of  the  others. 
Fancy  that  dwelling  the  residence  of  one  man  from  childhood 
to  old  age  ;  let  him  then  quit  it  for  a  year  or  two,  and  on  his 
return  he  would  find  another  in  possession,  who  would  treat 
him  as  an  impertinent  intruder,  because  he  had  been  absent 
two  years.  An  American  ‘  always,’  in  the  way  of  usages, 
extends  no  further  back  than  eighteen  months.  In  short, 
everything  is  condensed  into  the  present  moment ;  and  ser¬ 
vices,  character,  for  evil  as  well  as  good  unhappily,  and  all 
other  things  cease  to  have  weight,  except  as  they  influence 
the  interests  of  the  day.  ’  ’ 

“  This  is  the  coloring  of  a  professed  cynic,”  observed  Mr. 
Effingham,  smiling. 

“  But  the  law,  Mr.  John  Effingham,”  eagerly  inquired  the 


Ifronte  as  ffcmnfc 


ii9 


baronet,  “  surely  the  law  would  not  permit  a  stranger  to  in¬ 
trude  in  this  manner  on  the  rights  of  an  owner  !  ” 

“  The  law-books  would  do  him  that  friendly  office,  per¬ 
haps,  but  what  is  a  precept  in  the  face  of  practices  so  ruth¬ 
less  !  ‘  Les  absents  ont  toujours  tort,'  is  a  maxim  of  peculiar 

application  in  America.” 

“  Property  is  as  secure  in  this  country  as  in  any  other,  Sir 
George  :  and  you  will  make  allowances  for  the  humors  of 
the  present  annotator.” 

“  Well,  well,  Ned  ;  I  hope  you  will  find  everything  coiileur 
de  rose ,  as  you  appear  to  expect.  You  will  get  quiet  posses¬ 
sion  of  your  house,  it  is  true  ;  for  I  have  put  a  Cerberus 
in  it  that  is  quite  equal  to  his  task,  difficult  as  it  may  be, 
and  who  has  quite  as  much  relish  for  a  bill  of  costs  as  any 
squatter  can  have  for  a  trespass  ;  but  without  some  such 
guardian  of  your  rights,  I  would  not  answer  for  it  that  you 
would  not  be  compelled  to  sleep  in  the  highway.  *  ’ 

“  I  trust  Sir  George  Templemore  knows  how  to  make 
allowances  for  Mr.  John  Effingham’s  pictures,”  cried  Grace, 
unable  to  refrain  from  expressing  her  discontent  any 
longer. 

A  laugh  succeeded,  and  the  beauties  of  the  river  again 
attracted  their  attention.  As  the  boat  continued  to  ascend, 
Mr.  Effingham  triumphantly  affirmed  that  the  appearance 
of  things  more  than  equalled  his  expectations,  while  both 
Eve  and  the  baronet  declared  that  a  succession  of  lovelier 
landscapes  could  hardly  be  presented  to  the  eye. 

“  Whited  sepulchres  !  ”  muttered  John  Effingham.  “  All 
outside.  Wait  until  you  get  a  view  of  the  deformity 
within.” 

As  the  boat  approached  Albany,  Eve  expressed  her  satis¬ 
faction  in  still  stronger  terms,  and  Grace  was  made  perfectly 
happy  by  hearing  her  and  Sir  George  declare  that  the  place 
entirely  exceeded  their  expectations. 

“  I  am  glad  to  find,  Eve,  that  you  are  so  fast  recovering 
your  American  feelings,”  said  her  beautiful  cousin,  after  one 
of  those  expressions  of  agreeable  disappointment,  as  they 
were  seated  at  a  late  dinner  in  an  inn.  “You  have  at  last 
found  words  to  praise  the  exterior  of  Albany  ;  and  I  hope>  by 


120 


Ibome  as  found 


the  time  we  return,  you  will  be  disposed  to  see  New  York 
with  different  eyes.” 

“  I  expected  to  see  a  capital  in  New  York,  Grace,  and  in 
this  I  have  been  grievously  disappointed.  Instead  of  find¬ 
ing  the  tastes,  tone,  conveniences,  architecture,  streets, 
churches,  shops,  and  society  of  a  capital,  I  found  a  huge 
expansion  of  commonplace  things,  a  commercial  town,  and 
the  most  mixed  and  the  least  regulated  society  that  I  had 
ever  met  with.  Expecting  so  much,  where  so  little  was 
found,  disappointment  was  natural.  But  in  Albany,  al¬ 
though  a  political  capital,  I  knew  the  nature  of  the  govern¬ 
ment  too  well  to  expect  more  than  a  provincial  town  ;  and 
in  this  respect  I  have  found  one  much  above  the  level  of 
similar  places  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  I  acknowl¬ 
edge  that  Albany  has  as  much  exceeded  my  expectations 
in  one  .sense,  as  New  York  has  fallen  short  of  them  in 
another.  ’  ’ 

“  In  this  simple  fact,  Sir  George  Templemore,”  said  Mr. 
Effingham,  “you  may  read  the  real  condition  of  the  coun¬ 
try.  In  all  that  requires  something  more  than  usual,  a  de¬ 
ficiency  ;  in  all  that  is  deemed  an  average,  better  than 


common.  [  The  tendency  is  to  raise  everything  that  is  else¬ 


where  degraded  to  a  respectable  height,  when  there  com¬ 
mences  an  attraction  of  gravitation  that  draws  all  towards 
the  centre — a  little  closer,  too,  than  could  be  wished,  per- 

I  haps.  A 

“Ay,  ay,  Ned!  This  is  very  pretty,  with  your  attrac¬ 
tions  and  gravitations  ;  but  wait  and  judge  for  yourself  of 
this  average,  of  which  you  now  speak  so  complacently.” 

“Nay,  John,  I  borrowed  the  image  from  you.  If  it  be 
not  accurate,  I  shall  hold  you  responsible  for  its  defects.  ’  ’ 
“They  tell  me,”  said  Eve,  “  that  all  American  villages 
are  the  towns  in  miniature  ;  children  dressed  in  hoops  and 
wigs.  Is  this  so,  Grace?  ” 

“  A  little.  There  is  too  much  desire  to  imitate  the  towns, 
perhaps,  and  possibly  too  little  feeling  for  country  life. 

“  This  is  a  very  natural  consequence,  after  all,  of  people’s 
living  entirely  in  such  places,”  observed  Sir  George  Temple- 
more,  “  One  sees  much  of  this  on  the  continent  of  Europe, 


Iboine  a3  jpoun5 


I  2  I 


because  the  country  population  is  purely  a  country  popula¬ 
tion  ;  and  less  of  it  in  England,  perhaps,  because  those  who 
are  at  the  head  of  society  consider  town  and  country  as  very 
distinct  things.” 

“  La  campagne  est  vraiment  delicieuse  cn  Amerique ,”  ex¬ 
claimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  in  whose  eye  the  whole 
country  was  but  little  more  than  campagne. 

The  next  morning  our  travellers  proceeded  by  the  way  of 
Schenectady,  whence  they  ascended  the  beautiful  valley  of 
the  Mohawk,  by  means  of  a  canal  boat,  the  cars  that  now 
rattle  along  its  length  not  having  commenced  their  active 
flights  at  that  time.  With  the  scenery  every  one  was  de¬ 
lighted  ;  for  while  it  differed  essentially  from  that  the  party 
had  passed  through  the  previous  day,  it  was  scarcely  less 
beautiful. 

At  a  point  where  the  necessary  route  diverged  from  the 
direction  of  the  canal,  carriages  of  Mr.  Effingham’s  were  in 
readiness  to  receive  the  travellers,  and  here  they  were  also 
favored  by  the  presence  of  Mr.  Bragg,  who  fancied  such  an 
attention  might  be  agreeable  to  the  young  ladies  as  well  as 
to  his  employer. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

“  Tell  me,  where  is  fancy  bred — 

Or  in  the  heart,  or  in  the  head  ? 

How  begot,  how  nourished  ?  ” 

Merchant  of  Venice . 

r  ^  HE  travellers  were  several  hours  ascending  into  the 
mountains,  by  a  country  road  that  could  scarcely 

JL  be  surpassed  b)^  a  French  wheel-track  of  the  same 
sort  ;  for  Mademoiselle  Viefville  protested  twenty 
times  in  the  course  of  the  morning  that  it  was  a  thousand 
pities  Mr.  Effingham  had  not  the  privilege  of  the  corvee ,  that 
he  might  cause  the  approach  of  his  terres  to  be  kept  in  bet¬ 
ter  condition.  At  length  they  reached  the  summit — a  point 
where  the  waters  began  to  flow  south — when  the  road  became 
tolerably  level.  From  this  time  their  progress  became  more 
rapid,  and  they  continued  to  advance  two  or  three  hours 
longer  at  a  steady  pace. 

Aristabulus  now  informed  his  companions  that,  in  obedi¬ 
ence  to  instructions  from  John  Effingham,  he  had  ordered 
the  coachmen  to  take  a  road  that  led  a  little  from  the  direct 
line  of  their  journey,  and  that  they  had  now  been  travelling 
for  some  time  on  the  more  ancient  route  to  Templeton. 

“I  was  aware  of  this,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  “though 
ignorant  of  the  reason.  We  are  on  the  great  western  turn¬ 
pike.” 

“  Certainly,  sir,  and  all  according  to  Mr.  John’s  request. 
There  would  have  been  a  great  saving  in  distance,  and, 
agreeably  to  my  notion,  in  horse-flesh,  had  we  quietly  gone 
down  the  banks  of  the  lake.” 

“Jack  will  explain  his  own  meaning,”  returned  Mr. 
Effingham,  “and  he  has  stopped  the  other  carriage,  and 


t)ome  as  ffounfc 


123 


alighted  with  Sir  George — a  hint,  I  fancy,  that  we  are  to 
follow  their  example.” 

Sure  enough,  the  second  carriage  was  now  stopped,  and 
Sir  George  hastened  to  open  its  door. 

“  Mr.  John  Effingham,  who  acts  as  cicerone,”  cried  the 
baronet,  ‘  ‘  insists  that  every  one  shall  put  pied  a  terre  at 
this  precise  spot,  keeping  the  important  reason  still  a  secret 
in  the  recesses  of  his  own  bosom.” 

The  ladies  complied,  and  the  carnages  were  ordered  to 
proceed  with  the  domestics,  leaving  the  rest  of  the  travellers 
by  themselves,  apparently  in  the  heart  of  the  forest. 

It  is  to  be  hoped,  Mademoiselle,  there  are  no  banditti  in 
America,”  said  Eve,  as  they  looked  around  them  at  the  novel 
situation  in  which  they  were  placed,  apparently  by  a  pure 
caprice  of  her  cousin. 

“  Ou  des  sauvages ,”  returned  the  governess,  who,  in  spite 
of  her  ordinary  intelligence  and  great  good  sense,  had  sev¬ 
eral  times  that  day  cast  uneasy  and  stolen  glances  into  the 
bits  of  dark  wood  they  had  occasionally  passed. 

I  will  insure  your  purses  and  your  scalps,  mesdames ,” 
cried  John  Effingham,  gayly,  “on  condition  that  you  will 
follow  me  implicitly  ;  and  by  wray  of  pledge  for  my  faith,  I 
solicit  the  honor  of  supporting  Mademoiselle  Viefville  on 
this  unworthy  arm.” 

The  governess  laughingly  accepted  the  conditions,  Eve 
took  the  arm  of  her  father,  and  Sir  George  offered  his  to 
Grace ;  Aristabulus,  to  his  surprise,  being  left  to  walk 
entirely  alone.  It  struck  him,  however,  as  so  singularly 
improper  that  a  young  lady  should  be  supported  on  such  an 
occasion  by  her  own  father,  that  he  frankly  and  gallantly 
proposed  to  Mr.  Effingham  to  relieve  him  of  his  burden,  an 
offer  that  was  declined  with  quite  as  much  distinctness  as  it 
was  made. 

“  I  suppose  cousin  Jack  has  a  meaning  to  his  melodrama,” 
said  Eve,  as  they  entered  the  forest,  “  and  I  dare  say,  dear¬ 
est  father,  that  yon  are  behind  the  scenes,  though  I  perceive 
determined  secrecy  in  your  face.” 

“John  may  have  a  cave  to  show  us,  or  some  tree  of  ex¬ 
traordinary  height ;  such  things  existing  in  the  country.” 


124 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


“  We  are  very  confiding,  Mademoiselle,  for  I  detect 
treachery  in  every  face  around  us.  Even  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt  has  the  air  of  a  conspirator,  and  seems  to  be  in  league 
with  something  or  somebody.  Pray  Heaven  it  be  not  with 
wolves.  ’  ’ 

“  Des  lonps  /  ”  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  stopping 
short,  with  a  mien  so  alarmed  as  to  excite  a  general  laugh  ; 
“  est-ce  qn-ily  a  des  loitps  et  des  sa?igliers  dans  cette  foret  f  ” 

“No,  Mademoiselle,”  returned  her  companion,  “this  is 
only  barbarous  America,  and  not  civilized  France.  Were 
we  in  le  departmente  de  la  Seine ,  we  might  apprehend  some 
such  dangers,  but  being  merely  in  the  mountains  of  Otsego, 
we  are  reasonably  safe.” 

tlJe  Vesp'Zre ,”  murmured  the  governess,  as  she  reluctantly 
and  distrustfully  proceeded,  glancing  her  eyes  incessantly  to 
the  right  and  left.  The  path  now  became  steep  and  rather 
difficult ;  so  much  so,  indeed,  as  to  indispose  them  all  to 
conversation.  It  led  beneath  the  branches  of  lofty  pines, 
though  there  existed  on  every  side  of  them  proofs  of  the 
ravages  man  had  committed  in  that  noble  forest.  At 
length  they  were  compelled  to  stop  for  breath,  after  having 
ascended  considerably  above  the  road  they  had  left. 

‘  ‘  I  ought  to  have  said  that  the  spot  where  we  entered  on 
this  path  is  memorable  in  the  family  history,”  observed 
John  Effingham  to  Eve — “  for  it  was  the  precise  .spot 
where  one  of  our  predecessors  lodged  a  shot  in  the  .shoulder 
of  another.” 

‘  ‘  Then  I  know  precisely  where  we  are  !  ’  ’  cried  our  hero¬ 
ine,  “  though  I  cannot  yet  imagine  why  we  are  led  into  this 
forest,  unless  it  be  to  visit  .some  spot  hallowed  by  a  deed  of 
Natty  Bumppo’s  !  ” 

“  Time  will  solve  this  mystery,  as  well  as  all  others.  Eet 
us  proceed.” 

Again  they  ascended,  and  after  a  few  more  minutes  of 
trial  they  reached  a  sort  of  table-land,  and  drew  near  an 
opening  in  the  trees,  where  a  small  circle  had  evidently  been 
cleared  of  its  wood,  though  it  was  quite  small  and  untilled. 
Eve  looked  curiously  about  her,  as  did  all  the  others,  to 
whom  the  place  was  novel,  and  she  was  lost  in  doubt. 


Ifoome  as  ffoutifc 


I25 


There  seems  to  be  a  void  beyond  us,”  said  the  baronet. 
“  I  rather  think  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  led  us  to  the  verge 
of  a  view.” 

At  this  suggestion  the  party  moved  on  in  a  body  and  were 
well  rewarded  for  the  toil  of  the  ascent,  by  a  coup  d' ceil  that 
was  almost  Swiss  in  character  and  beauty. 

“  Now,  do  I  know  where  we  are,”  exclaimed  Eve,  clasp¬ 
ing  her  hands  in  rapture  ;  “  this  is  the  ‘  Vision,’  and  yonder, 
indeed,  is  our  blessed  home.” 

The  whole  artifice  of  the  surprise  was  exposed,  and  after 
the  first  bursts  of  pleasure  had  subsided,  all  to  whom  the 
scene  was  novel  felt  that  they  would  not  have  missed  this 
piquante  introduction  to  the  valley  of  the  Susquehannah  on 
any  account.  That  the  reader  may  understand  the  cause 
of  so  much  delight,  and  why  John  Effingham  had  prepared 
this  scene  for  his  friends,  we  shall  stop  to  give  a  short 
description  of  the  objects  that  first  met  the  eyes  of  the 
travellers. 

It  is  known  that  they  were  in  a  small  open  spot  in  a 
forest,  and  on  the  verge  of  a  precipitous  mountain.  The 
trees  encircled  them  on  every  side  but  one,  and  on  that  lay 
the  panorama,  although  the  tops  of  tall  pines,  that  grew  in 
lines  almost  parallel  to  the  declivity,  rose  nearly  to  a  level 
with  the  eye.  Hundreds  of  feet  beneath  them,  directly  in 
front,  and  stretching  leagues  to  the  right,  was  a  lake  em¬ 
bedded  in  woods  and  hills.  On  the  side  next  the  travellers 
a  fringe  of  forest  broke  the  line  of  water  ;  tree-tops  that 
intercepted  the  view  of  the  shores  ;  and  on  the  other,  high 
broken  hills,  or  low  mountains  rather,  that  were  covered 
with  farms,  beautifully  relieved  by  patches  of  wood,  in  a 
way  to  resemble  the  scenery  of  a  vast  park  or  a  royal 
pleasure-ground,  limited  the  landscape.  High  valleys  lay 
among  these  uplands,  and  in  every  direction  comfortable 
dwellings  dotted  the  fields.  The  dark  hues  of  the  ever¬ 
greens,  with  which  all  the  heights  near  the  water  were 
shaded,  were  in  soft  contrast  to  the  livelier  green  of  the 
other  foliage,  while  the  meadows  and  pastures  were  luxuri¬ 
ant  with  a  verdure  unsurpassed  by  that  of  England.  Bays 
and  points  added  to  the  exquisite  outline  of  the  glassy  lake 


126 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


on  this  shore,  while  one  of  the  former  withdrew  towards 
the  northwest,  in  a  way  to  leave  the  eye  doubtful  whether 
it  was  the  termination  of  the  transparent  sheet  or  not. 
Towards  the  south,  bold,  varied,  but  cultivated  hills,  also 
bounded  the  view,  all  teeming  with  the  fruits  of  human 
labor,  and  yet  all  relieved  by  pieces  of  wood  in  the  way 
already  mentioned,  so  as  to  give  the  entire  region  the  char¬ 
acter  of  park  scenery.  A  wide,  deep,  even  valley  com¬ 
menced  at  the  southern  end  of  the  lake,  or  nearly  opposite 
to  the  stand  of  our  travellers,  and  stretched  away  south, 
until  concealed  by  a  curvature  in  the  ranges  of  the  moun¬ 
tains.  Tike  all  the  mountain-tops,  this  valley  was  verdant, 
peopled,  wooded  in  places,  though  less  abundant  than  the 
hills,  and  teeming  with  the  signs  of  life.  Roads  wound 
through  its  peaceful  retreats,  and  might  be  traced  working 
their  way  along  the  glens,  and  up  the  wreary  ascents  of  the 
mountains,  for  miles  in  every  direction. 

At  the  northern  termination  of  this  lovely  valley,  and 
immediately  on  the  margin  of  the  lake,  lay  the  village  of 
Templeton,  immediately  under  the  eyes  of  the  party.  The 
distance,  in  an  air  line,  from  their  stand  to  the  centre  of  the 
dwellings,  could  not  be  much  less  than  a  mile,  but  the  air 
was  so  pure,  and  the  day  so  calm,  that  it  did  not  seem  so 
far.  The  children  and  even  the  dogs  were  seen  running 
about  the  streets,  while  the  shrill  cries  of  boys  at  their 
gambols  ascended  distinctly  to  the  ear. 

As  this  was  the  Templeton  of  “The  Pioneers,”  and  the 
progress  of  society  during  half  a  century  is  connected  with  the 
circumstance,  we  shall  give  the  reader  a  more  accurate 
notion  of  its  present  state  than  can  be  obtained  from  inci¬ 
dental  allusions.  We  undertake  the  office  more  readily, 
because  this  is  not  one  of  those  places  that  shoot  up  in  a 
day,  under  the  unnatural  efforts  of  speculation,  or  which, 
favored  by  peculiar  advantages  in  the  way  of  trade,  becomes 
a  precocious  city  while  the  stumps  still  stand  in  its  streets  ; 
but  a  sober  country  town,  that  has  advanced  steadily  pari 
passu  with  the  surrounding  country,  and  offers  a  fair  speci¬ 
men  of  the  more  regular  advancement  of  the  whole  nation 
in  its  progress  towards  civilization. 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


I27 


The  appearance  of  Templeton,  as  seen  from  the  height 
where  it  is  now  exhibited  to  the  reader,  was  generally  beau¬ 
tiful  and  map-like.  There  might  be  a  dozen  streets,  princi¬ 
pally  crossing  each  other  at  right  angles,  though  sufficiently 
relieved  from  this  precise  delineation  to  prevent  a  starched 
formality.  Perhaps  the  greater  part  of  the  buildings  were 
painted  white,  as  is  usual  in  the  smaller  American  towns ; 
though  a  better  taste  was  growing  in  the  place,  and  many 
of  the  dwellings  had  the  graver  and  chaster  hues  of  the  gray 
stones  of  which  they  were  built.  A  general  air  of  neatness 
and  comfort  pervaded  the  place,  it  being  as  unlike  a  conti¬ 
nental  European  town,  south  of  the  Rhine,  in  this  respect, 
as  possible,  if  indeed  we  except  the  picturesque  bourgs  of 
Switzerland.  In  England,  Templeton  would  be  termed  a 
small  market-town,  so  far  as  size  was  concerned  ;  in  France, 
a  large  bourg  ;  while  in  America  it  was,  in  common  par¬ 
lance  and  legal  appellation,  styled  a  village. 

Of  the  dwellings  of  the  place,  fully  twenty  were  of  a 
quality  that  denoted  ease  in  the  condition  of  their  occupants, 
and  bespoke  the  habits  of  those  accustomed  to  live  in  a 
manner  superior  to  the  oi  polloi  of  the  human  race.  Of 
these,  some  six  or  eight  had  small  lawns,  carriage  sweeps, 
and  the  other  similar  appliances  of  houses  that  were  not 
deemed  unworthy  of  the  honor  of  bearing  names  of  their 
own.  No  less  than  five  little  steeples,  towers,  or  belfries, 
for  neither  word  is  exactly  suitable  to  the  architectural 
prodigies  we  wish  to  describe,  rose  above  the  roofs,  denotine 
the  sites  of  the  same  number  of  places  of  worship ;  an 
American  village  usually  exhibiting  as  many  of  these  proofs 
of  liberty  of  conscience — caprices  of  conscience  would  per¬ 
haps  be  a  better  term — as  dollars  and  cents  will  by  any 
process  render  attainable.  Several  light  carriages,  such  as 
were  .suitable  to  a  mountainous  country,  were  passing  to  and 
fro  in  the  streets  ;  and  here  and  there  a  single-horse  vehicle 
was  fastened  before  the  door  of  a  shop  or  a  lawyer’s  office, 
denoting  the  presence  of  some  customer  or  client  from  among 
the  adjacent  hills. 

Templeton  was  not  sufficiently  a  thoroughfare  to  possess 
one  of  those  monstrosities,  a  modern  American  tavern,  or  a 


128 


Ibome  as  JFounb 


structure  whose  roof  should  overtop  that  of  all  its  neighbors. 
Still  its  inns  were  of  respectable  size,  well  piazzaed,  to  use  a 
word  of  our  own  invention,  and  quite  enough  frequented. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  place,  in  grounds  of  rather  limited 
extent,  still  stood  that  model  of  the  composite  order,  which 
owed  its  existence  to  the  combined  knowledge  and  taste, 
in  the  remoter  ages  of  the  region,  of  Mr.  Richard  Jones 
and  Mr.  Hiram  Doolittle.  We  will  not  say  that  it  had 
been  modernized,  for  the  very  reverse  was  the  effect,  in 
appearance  at  least ;  but  it  had  since  undergone  material 
changes  under  the  more  instructed  intelligence  of  John 
Effingham. 

This  building  was  so  conspicuous  by  position  and  size, 
that  as  soon  as  they  had  taken  in  glimpses  of  the  entire 
landscape,  which  was  not  done  without  constant  murmurs 
of  pleasure,  every  eye  became  fastened  on  it,  as  the  focus  of 
interest.  A  long  and  common  silence  denoted  how  general 
was  this  feeling,  and  the  whole  party  took  seats  on  stumps 
and  fallen  trees  before  a  syllable  was  uttered  after  the  build¬ 
ing  had  attracted  their  gaze.  Aristabulus  alone  permitted 
his  look  to  wander,  and  he  was  curiously  examining  the 
countenance  of  Mr.  Effingham,  near  whom  he  sat,  with  a 
longing  to  discover  whether  the  expression  was  that  of 
approbation  or  of  disapprobation  of  the  fruits  of  his  cousin’s 
genius.  . 

“  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  considerably  regenerated  and 
revivified,  not  to  say  transmogrified,  the  old  dwelling,”  he 
said,  cautiously  using  terms  that  might  leave  his  own  opin¬ 
ion  of  the  changes  doubtful.  “The  work  of  his  hand  has 
excited  some  speculation,  a  good  deal  of  inquiry,  and  a  little 
conversation  throughout  the  country.  It  has  almost  pro¬ 
duced  an  excitement !  ’  ’ 

“As  my  house  came  to  me  from  my  father,”  said  Mr. 
Effingham,  across  whose  mild  and  handsome  face  a  smile 
was  gradually  stealing,  “I  knew  its  history,  and  when 
called  on  for  an  explanation  of  its  singularities,  could  refer 
all  to  the  composite  order.  But  you,  Jack,  have  supplanted 
all  this  by  a  style  of  your  own,  for  which  I  shall  be  com¬ 
pelled  to  consult  the  authorities  for  explanations.  ” 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


I29 


“Do  you  dislike  my  taste,  Ned?  To  my  eye,  now,  the 
structure  has  no  bad  appearance  from  this  spot !  ’  ’ 

Fitness  and  comfort  are  indispensable  requisites  for  do¬ 
mestic  architecture,  to  use  your  own  argument.  Are  you  quite 
sure  that  yonder  castellated  roof,  for  instance,  is  quite  suited 
to  the  deep  snows  of  these  mountains  ?  ’  ’ 

John  Effingham  whistled,  and  endeavored  to  look  uncon¬ 
cerned  ;  for  he  well  knew  that  the  very  first  winter  had 
demonstrated  the  unsuitableness  of  his  plans  for  such  a  cli¬ 
mate.  He  had  actually  felt  disposed  to  cause  the  whole  to 
be  altered  privately  at  his  own  expense  ;  but,  besides  feel¬ 
ing  certain  his  cousin  would  resent  a  liberty  that  inferred 
his  indisposition  to  pay  for  his  own  buildings,  he  had  a 
reluctance  to  admit,  in  the  face  of  the  whole  country,  that 
he  had  made  so  capital  a  mistake,  in  a  branch  of  art  in 
which  he  prided  himself  rather  more  than  common  ;  almost 

as  much  as  his  predecessor  in  the  occupation,  Mr.  Richard 
Jones. 

“  If  you  are  not  pleased  with  your  own  dwelling,  Ned,” 
he  answered,  “  you  can  have  at  least  the  consolation  of 
looking  at  some  of  your  neighbors’  houses,  and  of  perceiv¬ 
ing  that  they  are  a  good  deal  worse  off.  Of  all  abortions 
of  this  sort,  to  my  taste,  a  Grecian  abortion  is  the  worst. 
Mine  is  only  Gothic,  and  that,  too,  in  a  style  so  modest, 
that  I  should  think  it  might  pass  unmolested.” 

It  was  so  unusual  to  see  John  Effingham  on  the  defensive, 
that  the  whole  party  smiled,  while  Aristabulus,  who  stood 

in  salutary  fear  of  his  caustic  tongue,  both  smiled  and  won¬ 
dered. 

“  NaY>  do  not  mistake  me,  John,”  returned  the  proprietor 
of  the  edifice  under  discussion.  “  It  is  not  your  taste  that  I 
call  in  question,  but  your  provision  against  the  seasons.  In 
the  way  of  mere  outward  show,  I  really  think  you  deserve 
high  praise ;  for  you  have  transformed  a  very  ugly  dwelling 
into  one  that  is  almost  handsome,  in  despite  of  proportions 
and  the  necessity  of  regulating  the  alterations  by  prescribed 
limits.  Still,  I  think  there  i.s  a  little  of  the  composite  left 
about  even  the  exterior.” 

I  hope,  cousin  Jack,  you  have  not  innovated  on  the 


1 3° 


Ibotne  as  ffounfc 


interior,”  cried  Eve ;  “  for  I  think  I  shall  remember  that, 
and  nothing  is  more  pleasant  than  the  cattism  of  seeing 
objects  that  you  remember  in  childhood.  Pleasant  I  mean 
to  those  whom  the  mania  of  mutations  has  not  affected.” 

“  Do  not  be  alarmed,  Miss  Effingham,”  replied  her  kins¬ 
man,  with  a  pettishness  of  manner  that  was  altogether 
extraordinary  in  a  man  whose  mien,  in  common,  was  so 
singularly  composed  and  masculine  ;  ‘  ‘  you  will  find  all  that 
you  knew  when  a  kitten,  in  its  proper  place.  I  could  not 
rake  together  again  the  ashes  of  Queen  Dido,  which  were 
scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  I  fear ;  nor  could  I 
discover  a  reasonably  good  bust  of  Homer ;  but  respectable 
substitutes  are  provided,  and  some  of  them  have  the  great 
merit  of  puzzling  all  beholders  to  tell  to  whom  they  belong, 
which  I  believe  was  the  great  characteristic  of  most  of  Mr. 
Jones’  inventions.” 

“I  am  glad  to  see,  Cousin  Jack,  that  you  have  at  least 
managed  to  give  a  very  respectable,  ‘  cloud  color  ’  to  the 
whole  house.” 

“Ay,  it  lay  between  that  and  an  invisible  green,”  the 
gentleman  answered,  losing  his  momentary  spleen  in  his 
natural  love  of  the  ludicrous  ;  ‘  ‘  but  finding  that  the  latter 
would  be  only  too  conspicuous  in  the  droughts  that  some¬ 
times  prevail  in  this  climate,  I  settled  down  into  the  yel¬ 
lowish  drab.  That  is,  indeed,  not  unlike  some  of  the  richer 
volumes  of  the  clouds.” 

“  On  the  whole,  I  think  you  are  fairly  entitled,  as  Stead¬ 
fast  Dodge,  Esquire,  would  say,  to  ‘  the  meed  of  our 
thanks.’  ” 

“What  a  lovely  spot!”  exclaimed  Mr.  Effingham,  who 
had  already  ceased  to  think  of  his  own  dwelling,  and  whose 
eye  was  roaming  over  the  soft  landscape,  athwart  which  the 
lustre  of  a  June  noontide  was  throwing  its  richest  glories. 
“  This  is  truly  a  place  where  one  might  fancy  repose  and 
content  were  to  be  found  for  the  evening  of  a  troubled  life.” 

“  Indeed,  I  have  seldom  looked  upon  a  more  bewitching 
scene,”  answered  the  baronet.  “  The  lakes  of  Cumberland 
will  scarce  compete  with  this  !  ’  ’ 

“  Or  that  of  Brienz,  or  Eungereu,  or  Neini,”  said  Eve, 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


131 


smiling  in  a  way  that  the  other  understood  to  be  a  hit  at 
his  nationality. 

“  C est  charmanl !  ”  murmured  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

On  pense  a  V eternite ,  dans  une  telle  calme  !  ” 

“The  farm  you  can  see  lying  near  yonder  wood,  Mr. 
Effingham,”  coolly  observed  Aristabulus,  “  sold  last  spring 
for  thirty  dollars  the  acre,  and  was  bought  for  twenty  the 
summer  before  !  ’  ’ 

“  Chacun  a  son  gout !  ”  said  Eve. 

“  And  yet  I  fear  this  glorious  scene  is  marred  by  the  envy, 
rapacity,  uncharitableness,  and  all  the  other  evil  passions  of 
man!”  continued  the  more  philosophical  Mr.  Effingham. 
“  Perhaps  it  were  better  as  it  was  so  lately,  when  it  lay  in 
the  solitude  and  peace  of  the  wilderness,  the  resort  of  birds 
and  beasts.  ’  ’ 

“  who  PreY  on  each  other,  dearest  father,  just  as  the  worst 
of  our  own  species  prey  on  their  fellows.  ’  ’ 

True,  child  true.  And  yet  I  never  gaze  on  one  of  these 
scenes  of  holy  calm,  without  wishing  that  the  great  taber¬ 
nacle  of  nature  might  be  tenanted  only  by  those  who  have  a 
feeling  for  its  perfection.” 

“Do  you  see  the  lady,”  said  Aristabulus,  “  that  is  just 
coming  out  on  the  lawn,  in  front  of  the  ‘  Wigwam  ’  ?  ”  for 
that  was  the  name  John  Effingham  had  seen  fit  to  give  the 
altered  and  amended  abode.  “  Here,  Miss  Effingham,  more 
in  a  line  with  the  top  of  the  pine  beneath  us.” 

“  I  see  the  person  you  mean  ;  she  seems  to  be  looking  in 
this  direction.” 

You  are  quite  right,  Miss.  She  knows  that  w’e  are  to 
stop  on  the  Vision,  and  no  doubt  sees  us.  That  lady  is 
your  father’s  cook,  Miss  Effingham,  and  is  thinking  of  the 
late  breakfast  that  has  been  ordered  to  be  in  readiness  against 
our  arrival.  ’  ’ 

Eve  concealed  her  amusement— for,  by  this  time,  she  had 
discovered  that  Mr.  Bragg  had  a  wa)^  peculiar  to  himself,  or 
at  least  to  his  class,  of  using  many  of  the  commoner  words  of 
the  English  language.  It  would  perhaps  be  expecting  too 
much  of  Sir  George  Templemore,  not  to  expect  him  to  smile 
on  such  an  occasion. 


132 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


“Ah  !  ”  exclaimed  Aristabulus,  pointing  towards  the  lake, 
across  which  several  skiffs  were  stealing,  some  in  one  direc¬ 
tion,  and  some  in  another,  “  there  is  a  boat  out  that  I  think 
must  contain  the  poet.” 

“  Poet  !  ”  repeated  John  Effingham.  “  Have  we  reached 
that  pass  at  Templeton  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Lord,  Mr.  Effingham,  you  must  have  very  contracted 
notions  of  the  place,  if  you  think  a  poet  a  great  novelty  in 
it.  Why,  sir,  we  have  caravans  of  wild  beasts  nearly  every 
summer  !  ’  ’ 

This  is,  indeed,  a  step  in  advance,  of  which  I  was  igno¬ 
rant.  Here,  then,  in  a  region  that  so  lately  was  tenanted 
by  beasts  of  prey,  beasts  are  already  brought  as  curiosities. 
You  perceive  the  state  of  the  country  in  this  fact,  Sir  George 
Templemore.” 

“  I  do,  indeed  ;  but  I  should  like  to  hear  from  Mr.  Bragg, 
what  sort  of  animals  are  in  these  caravans  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  All  sorts,  from  monkeys  to  elephants.  The  last  had  a 
rhinoceros.  ’  * 

“  Rhinoceros  !  Why,  there  was  but  one,  lately,  in  all 
Europe.  Neither  the  Zoological  Gardens  nor  the  Jardin 
des  Plantes  had  a  rhinoceros  !  I  never  saw  but  one,  and 
that  was  in  a  caravan  at  Rome,  that  travelled  between  St. 
Petersburgh  and  Naples.” 

“Well,  sir,  we  have  rhinoceroses  here  ;  and  monkeys, 
and  zebras,  and  poets,  and  painters,  and  congressmen,  and 
bishops,  and  governors,  and  all  other  sorts  of  creatures.  ’  ’ 

“  And  who  may  the  particular  poet  be,  Mr.  Bragg,”  Eve 
asked,  “who  honors  Templeton  with  his  presence  just  at 
this  moment  ?  ’  ’ 

“That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  Miss;  for  though 
some  eight  or  ten  of  us  have  done  little  else  than  try  to 
discover  his  name  for  the  last  week,  we  have  not  got  even 
as  far  as  that  one  fact.  He  and  the  gentleman  who  travels 
with  him  are  both  uncommonly  close  on  such  matters, 
though  I  think  we  have  some  as  good  catechizers  in  Temple¬ 
ton  as  can  be  found  an}wvdiere  within  fifty  miles  of  us.” 

“There  is  another  gentleman  writh  him  ;  do  you  suspect 
them  both  of  being  poets  ?  ’  * 


Ibcmte  as  jFounb 


Oh,  no,  Miss,  the  other  is  the  waiter  of  the  poet ;  that 
we  know,  as  he  serves  him  at  dinner,  and  otherwise  super¬ 
intends  his  concerns,  such  as  brushing  his  clothes,  and  keep' 
inghis  room  in  order.” 

“  This  is  being  in  luck  for  a  poet,  for  they  are  of  a  class 
that  are  a  little  apt  to  neglect  the  decencies.  May  I  ask 
why  you  suspect  the  master  of  being  a  poet,  if  the  man  be 
so  assiduous  ?  ’  ’ 

“Why,  what  else  can  he  be?  In  the  first  place,  Miss 
Effingham,  he  has  no  name.” 

“  That  is  a  reason  in  point,”  said  John  Effingham,  “  very 
few  poets  having  names.  ’  ’ 

”  Then  he  is  out  on  the  lake  half  his  time,  gazing  up  at 
the  ‘  Silent  Pine,’  or  conversing  with  the  ‘  Speaking  Rocks,’ 
or  drinking  at  the  ‘  Fairy  Spring.’  ” 

“All  suspicious,  certainly;  especially  the  dialogue  with 
the  rocks  ;  though  not  absolutely  conclusive.” 

“But,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  the  man  does  not  take  his 
food  like  other  people.  He  rises  early,  and  is  out  on  the 
water  or  up  in  the  forest  all  the  morning,  and  then  returns 
to  eat  his  breakfast  in  the  middle  of  the  forenoon  ;  he  goes 
into  the  woods  again,  or  on  the  lake,  and  comes  back  to 
dinner,  just  as  I  take  my  tea.” 

“  This  settles  the  matter.  Any  man  who  presumes  to  do 
all  this,  Mr.  Bragg,  deserves  to  be  called  by  some  harder 
name  even  than  that  of  a  poet.  Pray,  sir,  how  long  has 
this  eccentric  person  been  a  resident  of  Templeton  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Hist !  there  he  is,  as  I  am  a  sinner ;  and  it  was  not  he 
and  the  other  gentleman  that  were  in  the  boat.” 

The  rebuked  manner  of  Aristabulus  and  the  dropping  of 
his  voice  induced  the  whole  party  to  look  in  the  direction 
of  his  eye,  and  sure  enough  a  gentleman  approached  them, 
in  the  dress  a  man  of  the  world  is  apt  to  assume  in  the 
country,  an  attire  of  itself  that  was  sufficient  to  attract  com¬ 
ment  in  a  place  where  the  general  desire  was  to  be  as  much 
like  town  as  possible,  though  it  was  sufficiently  neat  and 
simple.  He  came  from  the  forest,  along  the  table-land  that 
crowned  the  mountain  for  some  distance,  following  one  of 
the  footpaths  that  the  admirers  of  the  beautiful  landscape 


134 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


have  made  all  over  that  pleasant  wood.  As  he  came  out 
into  the  cleared  spot,  seeing  it  already  in  possession  of  a 
party,  he  bowed,  and  was  passing  on  with  a  delicacy  that 
Mr.  Bragg  would  be  apt  to  deem  eccentric,  when  suddenly 
stopping,  he  gave  a  look  of  intense  and  eager  interest  at  the 
whole  party,  smiled,  advanced  rapidly  nearer,  and  discovered 
his  entire  person. 

“  I  ought  not  to  be  surprised,”  he  said,  as  he  advanced  so 
near  as  to  render  doubt  any  longer  impossible,  “  for  I  knew 
you  were  expected,  and  indeed  waited  for  your  arrival,  and 
yet  this  meeting  has  been  so  unexpected  as  to  leave  me 
scarcely  in  possession  of  my  faculties.” 

It  is  needless  to  dwell  upon  the  warmth  and  number  of 
the  greetings.  To  the  surprise  of  Mr.  Bragg,  his  poet  was 
not  only  known  but  evidently  much  esteemed  by  all  the 
party,  with  the  exception  of  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  to  whom 
he  was  cordially  presented  by  the  name  of  Mr.  Powis.  Eve 
managed,  by  an  effort  of  womanly  pride,  to  suppress  the 
violence  of  her  emotions,  and  the  meeting  passed  off  as  one 
of  mutual  surprise  and  pleasure,  without  any  exhibition  of 
unusual  feeling  to  attract  comment. 

‘‘We  ought  to  express  our  wonder  at  finding  you  here 
before  us,  my  dear  young  friend,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  still 
holding  Paul’s  hand  affectionately  between  his  own  ;  “  and 
even  now  that  my  own  eyes  assure  me  of  the  fact,  I  can 
hardly  believe  you  would  arrive  at  New  York,  and  quit  it 
without  giving  us  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  you.” 

‘‘In  that,  sir,  you  are  not  wrong;  certainly  nothing 
could  have  deprived  me  of  that  pleasure,  but  the  knowledge 
that  it  would  not  have  been  agreeable  to  yourselves.  My 
sudden  appearance  here,  however,  will  be  without  mystery, 
when  I  tell  you  that  I  returned  from  England  by  the  way 
of  Quebec,  the  Great  Takes,  and  the  Falls,  having  been 
induced  by  my  friend  Ducie  to  take  that  route,  in  conse¬ 
quence  of  his  ship’s  being  sent  to  the  St.  Eawrence.  A 
desire  for  novelty,  and  particularly  a  desire  to  see  the 
celebrated  cataract,  which  is  almost  the  lion  of  America,  did 
the  rest.” 


Ibome  as  .fount) 


*35 


“We  are  glad  to  have  you  with  us  on  any  terms,  and  I 
take  it  as  particularly  kind  that  you  did  not  pass  my  door. 
You  have  been  here  some  days?” 

“  Quite  a  week.  On  reaching  Utica  I  diverged  from  the 
great  route  to  see  this  place,  not  anticipating  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  you  here  so  early,  but  hearing  you  were 
expected,  I  determined  to  remain,  with  a  hope,  which  I  re¬ 
joice  to  find  was  not  vain  that  you  would  not  be  sorry  to 
see  an  old  fellow-traveller  again.” 

Mr.  Effingham  pressed  his  hands  warmly  again  before  he 
relinquished  them ;  an  assurance  of  welcome  that  Paul 
received  with  thrilling  satisfaction. 

“I  have  been  in  Templeton  almost  long  enough,”  the 
young  man  resumed,  laughing,  “to  set  up  as  a  candidate 
for  the  public  favor,  if  I  rightly  understand  the  claims  of  a 
denizen.  By  what  I  can  gather  from  casual  remarks,  the 
old  proverb  that  ‘  The  new  broom  sweeps  clean,’  applies 
with  singular  fidelity  throughout  all  this  region.  ’  ’ 

“  Have  you  a  copy  of  your  last  ode,  or  a  spare  epigram,  in 
your  pocket  ?  ”  inquired  John  Effingham. 

Paul  looked  surprised,  and  Aristabulus,  for  a  novelty, 
was  a  little  dashed.  Paul  looked  surprised,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  for,  although  he  had  been  a  little  annoyed  by  the 
curiosity  that  is  apt  to  haunt  a  village  imagination,  since 
his  arrival  in  Templeton,  he  did  not  in  the  least  suspect  that 
his  love  of  a  beautiful  nature  had  been  imputed  to  devotion 
to  the  muses.  Perceiving,  however,  by  the  smiles  of  those 
around  him,  that  there  was  more  meant  than  was  expressed, 
he  had  the  tact  to  permit  the  explanation  to  come  from  the 
person  who  had  put  the  question,  if  it  were  proper  it  should 
come  at  all. 

“We  will  defer  the  great  pleasure  that  is  in  reserve,” 
continued  John  Effingham,  “to  another  time.  At  present 
it  strikes  me  that  the  lady  of  the  lawn  is  getting  to  be  im¬ 
patient,  and  the  d^jemier  h,  la  fourchette ,  that  I  have  had  the 
precaution  to  order,  is  probably  waiting  our  appearance.  It 
must  be  eaten,  though  under  the  penalty  of  being  thought 
moonstruck  rhymers  by  the  whole  State.  Come,  Ned ;  if 


136 


‘borne  as  tfownb 


you  are  sufficiently  satisfied  with  looking  at  the  Wigwam  in 
a  bird’s-eye  view,  we  will  descend  and  put  its  beauties  to 
the  severer  test  of  a  close  examination.” 

This  proposal  was  readily  accepted,  though  all  tore  them¬ 
selves  from  that  lovely  spot  with  reluctance,  and  not  until 
they  had  paused  to  take  another  look. 

“  Fancy  the  shores  of  this  lake  lined  with  villas,”  said 
Eve,  ‘  ‘  church-towers  raising  their  dark  heads  among  these 
hills  ;  each  mountain  crowned  wTith  a  castle  or  a  crumbling 
ruin,  and  all  the  other  accessories  of  an  old  state  of  society, 
and  what  would  then  be  the  charms  of  the  view  !  ’  ’ 

“  L,ess  than  the}^  are  to-dajq  Miss  Effingham,”  said  Paul 
Powis  ;  ‘  ‘  for  though  poetry  requires — you  all  smile,  is  it 
forbidden  to  touch  on  such  subjects?” 

“  Not  at  all,  so  it  be  done  in  wholesome  ryhmes,”  returned 
the  baronet.  “You  ought  to  know  that  you  are  expected 
even  to  speak  in  doggerel.” 

Paul  ceased,  and  the  whole  party  walked  away  from  the 
place  laughing  and  light-hearted. 


CHAPTER  X. 

“  It  is  the  spot,  I  came  to  seek 
My  father’s  ancient  burial-place— 

“  It  is  the  spot — I  know  it  well 
Of  which  our  old  traditions  tell." 

Bryant. 

ROM  the  day  after  their  arrival  in  New  York,  or 
i  that  on  which  the  account  of  the  arrests  by  the 
English  cruiser  had  appeared  in  the  journals,  little 
had  been  said  by  any  of  our  party  concerning  Paul 
Powis,  or  of  the  extraordinary  manner  in  which  he  had  left 
the  packet,  at  the  very  moment  she  was  about  to  enter  her 
haven.  It  is  true  that  Mr.  Dodge,  arrived  at  Dodgeopolis, 
had  dilated  on  the  subject  in  his  hebdomadal,  with  divers 
additions  and  conjectures  of  his  own,  and  this,  too,  in  a  way 
to  attract  a  good  deal  of  attention  in  the  interior  ;  but,  it 
being  a  rule  with  those  who  are  supposed  to  dwell  at  the 
fountain  of  foreign  intelligence  not  to  receive  anything  from 
those  who  ought  not  to  be  better  informed  than  themselves, 
the  Effinghams  and  their  friends  had  never  heard  of  his 
account  of  the  matter. 

While  all  thought  the  incident  of  the  sudden  return 
extraordinary,  no  one  felt  disposed  to  judge  the  young  man 
harshly.  The  gentlemen  knew  that  military  censure,  how¬ 
ever  unpleasant,  did  not  always  imply  moral  unworthiness  ; 
and  as  for  the  ladies,  they  retained  too  lively  a  sense  of  his 
skill  and  gallantry  to  wish  to  imagine  evil  on  grounds  so 
slight  and  vague.  Still,  it  had  been  impossible  altogether 
to  prevent  the  obtrusion  of  disagreeable  surmises,  and  all 
now  sincerely  rejoiced  at  seeing  their  late  companion  once 


t)ome  as  jfounD 


138 


more  among  them,  seemingly  in  a  state  of  mind  that  an¬ 
nounced  neither  guilt  nor  degradation. 

On  quitting  the  mountain,  Mr.  Effingham,  who  had  a 
tender  regard  for  Grace,  offered  her  his  arm  as  he  would 
have  given  it  to  a  second  daughter,  leaving  Eve  to  the  care 
of  John  Effingham.  Sir  George  attended  to  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  and  Paul  walked  by  the  side  of  our  heroine  and 
her  cousin,  leaving  Aristabulus  to  be  what  he  himself  called 
a  ‘ ‘  miscellaneous  companion  ” ;  or,  in  other  words,  to  thrust 
himself  into  either  set,  as  inclination  or  accident  might 
induce.  Of  course  the  parties  conversed  as  they  walked, 
though  those  in  advance  would  occasionally  pause  to  say  a 
word  to  those  in  the  rear  ;  and,  as  they  descended,  one  or 
two  changes  occurred  to  which  we  may  have  occasion  to 
allude. 

“I  trust  you  have  had  pleasant  passages,”  said  John 
Effingham  to  Paul,  as  soon  as  they  were  separated  in  the 
manner  just  mentioned.  “  Three  trips  across  the  Atlantic 
in  so  short  a  time  would  be  hard  duty  to  a  landsman,  though 
you,  as  a  sailor,  would  probably  think  less  of  it.” 

‘  ‘  In  this  respect  I  have  been  fortunate  ;  the  Foam,  as  we 
know  from  experience,  being  a  good  traveller,  and  Ducie 
is  altogether  a  fine  fellow  and  an  agreeable  messmate.  You 
know  I  had  him  for  a  companion  both  going  and  coming.” 

This  was  said  naturally  ;  and,  while  it  explained  so  little 
directly,  it  removed  all  unpleasant  uncertainty,  by  assuring 
his  listeners  that  he  had  been  on  good  terms  at  least  with 
the  person  who  had  seemed  to  be  his  pursuer.  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  too,  well  understood  that  no  one  messed  with  the  com¬ 
mander  of  a  vessel  of  war,  in  his  own  ship,  who  was  in  any 
way  thought  to  be  an  unfit  associate. 

“  You  have  made  a  material  circuit  to  reach  us,  the  dis¬ 
tance  by  Quebec  being  nearly  a  fourth  more  than  the  direct 
road.” 

“  Ducie  desired  it  so  strongly,  that  I  did  not  like  to  deny 
him.  Indeed,  he  made  it  a  point  at  first  to  obtain  permis¬ 
sion  to  land  me  at  New  York,  where  he  had  found  me,  as  he 
said  ;  but  to  this  I  would  not  listen,  as  I  feared  it  might 
interfere  with  his  promotion,  of  which  he  stood  so  good  a 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


139 


chance,  in  consequence  of  his  success  in  the  affair  of  the 
money.  By  keeping  constantly  before  the  eyes  of  his  supe¬ 
riors,  on  duty  of  interest,  I  thought  his  success  would  be 
more  certain.” 

‘  ‘  And  has  his  government  thought  his  perseverance  in 
the  chase  worthy  of  such  a  reward  ?  ” 

“  Indeed  it  has.  He  is  now  a  post,  and  all  owing  to  his 
good  luck  and  j  udgment  in  that  affair  ;  though  in  his  coun¬ 
try,  rank  in  private  life  does  no  harm  to  one  in  public 
life.” 

Eve  liked  the  emphasis  that  Paul  laid  on  “  his  country,” 
aud  she  thought  the  whole  remark  was  made  in  a  spirit  that 
an  Englishman  would  not  be  apt  to  betray. 

“Has  it  ever  occurred  to  you,”  continued  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  “that  our  sudden  and  unexpected  separation  has  caused 
a  grave  neglect  of  duty  in  me,  if  not  in  both  of  us.” 

Paul  looked  surprised,  and  by  his  manner  he  demanded 
an  explanation. 

“  You  may  remember  the  sealed  package  of  poor  Mr. 
Monday,  that  we  were  to  open  together  on  our  arrival  in 
New  York,  and  on  the  contents  of  which  we  were  taught 
to  believe  depended  the  settling  of  some  important  private 
rights.  I  gave  that  package  to  you  at  the  moment  it  was 
received,  and  in  the  hurry  of  leaving  us,  you  overlooked  the 
circumstance.” 

“  All  very  true,  and  to  my  shame  I  confess  that,  until  this 
instant,  the  affair  has  been  quite  forgotten  by  me.  I  had  so 
much  to  occupy  my  mind  while  in  England,  that  it  was  not 
likely  to  be  remembered,  and  then  the  packet  itself  has 
scarce  been  in  my  possession  since  the  day  I  left  you.” 

“  It  is  not  lost,  I  trust  !  ”  said  John  Effingham,  quickly. 

“  Surely  not !  It  is  safe  beyond  a  question,  in  the  writing- 
desk  in  which  I  deposited  it.  But  the  moment  we  got  to 
Portsmouth,  Ducie  and  myself  proceeded  to  Eondon  to¬ 
gether,  and  as  soon  as  he  had  got  through  at  the  Admiralty 
we  went  into  Yorkshire,  where  we  remained,  much  occupied 
with  private  matters  of  great  importance  to  us  both,  while 
his  ship  was  docked,  and  then  it  became  necessary  to  make 
sundry  visits  to  our  relations — ” 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


146 


Relations  !  ’  ’  repeated  Eve  involuntarily,  though  she  did 
not  cease  to  reproach  herself  for  the  indiscretion  during  the 
rest  of  the  walk. 

“Relations,”  returned  Paul,  smiling.  “Captain  Ducie 
and  myself  are  cousins-german,  and  we  made  pilgrimages 
together  to  sundry  family  shrines.  This  duty  occupied  us 
until  a  few  days  before  we  sailed  for  Quebec.  On  reaching 
our  haven,  I  left  the  ship  to  visit  the  Great  Lakes  and 
Niagara,  leaving  most  of  my  effects  with  Ducie,  who  has 
promised  to  bring  them  on  with  himself,  when  he  followed 
on  my  track,  as  he  expected  soon  to  do,  on  his  way  to  the 
West  Indies,  wdiere  he  is  to  find  a  frigate.  He  owed  me 
this  attention,  as  he  insisted,  on  account  of  having  induced 
me  to  go  so  far  out  of  my  way,  with  so  much  luggage,  to 
oblige  him.  The  packet  is,  unluckily,  left  behind  with  the 
other  things.” 

And  do  you  expect  Captain  Ducie  to  arrive  in  this 
country  soon  ?  The  affair  of  the  packet  ought  not  to  be 
neglected  much  longer  ;  for  a  promise  to  a  dying  man  is 
doubly  binding,  as  it  appeals  to  all  our  generosity.  Rather 
than  neglect  the  matter  much  longer,  I  would  prefer  sending 
a  special  messenger  to  Quebec.  ’  ’ 

“Thatwiilbe  quite  unnecessary,  as  indeed  it  would  be 
useless.  Ducie  left  Quebec  yesterday,  and  has  sent  his  and 
my  effects  direct  to  New  York,  under  the  care  of  his  own 
steward.  The  writing-case,  containing  other  papers  that 
are  of  interest  to  us  both,  he  has  promised  not  to  lose  sight 
of,  but  it  will  accompany  him  on  the  same  tour  as  that  I 
have  just  made  ;  for  he  wishes  to  avail  himself  of  this  op¬ 
portunity  to  see  Niagara  and  the  lakes  also.  He  is  now  on 
my  track,  and  will  notify  me  by  letter  of  the  day  he  will  be 
in  Utica,  in  order  that  we  may  meet  on  the  line  of  the 
canal,  near  this  place,  and  proceed  to  New  York  in  com¬ 
pany.” 

His  companions  listened  to  this  brief  statement  with  an 
intense  interest,  with  which  the  packet  of  poor  Mr.  Monday, 
however,  had  very  little  connection.  John  Effingham  called 
to  his  cousin,  and,  in  a  few  words,  stated  the  circumstances 
as  they  had  just  been  related  to  himself,  without  adverting 


Ifoome  as  .founb 


141 


to  the  papery  of  Mr.  Monday,  which  was  an  affair  that  he 
had  hitherto  kept  to  himself. 

‘  ‘  It  will  be  no  more  than  a  return  of  civility^,  if  we  invite 
Captain  Ducie  to  diverge  from  his  road,  and  pass  a  few  days 
with  us  in  the  mountains,”  he  added.  “At  what  precise 
time  do  you  expect  him  to  pass,  Powis  ?  ” 

“  Within  the  fortnight.  I  feel  certain  he  would  be  glad  to 
pay  his  respects  to  this  party  ;  for  he  often  expressed  his 
sincere  regrets  at  having  been  employed  on  a  service  that 
exposed  the  ladies  to  so  much  peril  and  delay.  ’  ’ 

Captain  Ducie  is  a  near  kinsman  of  Mr.  Powis,  dear 
father,”  added  Eve,  in  a  way  to  show  her  parent  that  the 
invitation  would  be  agreeable  to  herself ;  for  Mr.  Effingham 
was  so  attentive  to  the  wishes  of  his  daughter,  as  never  to 
ask  a  guest  to  his  house  that  he  thought  would  prove  disa¬ 
greeable  to  its  mistress. 

“  I  shall  do  myself  the  pleasure  to  write  to  Captain  Ducie 
this  evening,  urging  him  to  honor  us  with  his  company,” 
returned  Mr.  Effingham.  “We  expect  other  friends  in  a 
few  days,  and  I  hope  he  will  not  find  his  time  heavy  on  his 
hands  while  in  exile  among  us.  Mr.  Powis  will  inclose  my 
note  in  one  of  his  letters,  and  will,  I  trust,  second  the  request 
by  his  own  solicitations.  ’  ’ 

Paul  made  his  acknowledgments,  and  the  whole  party 
proceeded,  though  the  interruption  caused  such  a  change  in 
the  figure  of  the  promenade,  as  to  leave  the  young  man  the 
immediate  escort  of  Eve.  The  party  by  this  time  had  not 
only  reached  the  highway,  but  it  had  again  diverged  from 
it,  to  follow  the  line  of  an  old  and  abandoned  wffieel-track 
that  descended  the  mountain,  along  the  side  of  the  declivity, 
by  a  wilder  and  more  perilous  direction  than  suited  a  modern 
enterprise — it  having  been  one  of  those  little  calculated  and 
rude  roads  that  the  first  settlers  of  a  country  are  apt  to  make, 
before  there  are  time  and  means  to  investigate  and  finish  to 
advantage.  Although  much  more  difficult  and  dangerous 
than  its  successor,  as  a  highway,  this  relic  of  the  infant 
condition  of  the  country  was  by  far  the  most  retired  and 
beautiful,  and  pedestrians  continued  to  use  it  as  a  common 
footpath  to  the  Vision.  The  seasons  had  narrowed  its  sur- 


142 


ifoome  as  jfounfc 


face,  and  the  second  growth  had  nearly  covered  it  with  their 
branches,  shading  it  like  an  arbor ;  and  Eve  expressed  her 
delight  with  its  wildness  and  boldness,  mingled,  as  both 
were,  with  so  pleasant  a  seclusion,  as  they  descended  along 
a  path  as  safe  and  convenient  as  a  French  allee .  Glimpses 
were  constantly  obtained  of  the  lake  and  village  while  they 
proceeded,  and  altogether,  they  who  were  strangers  to  the 
scenery,  were  loud  in  its  praise. 

“Most  persons  who  see  this  valley  for  the  first  time,” 
observed  Aristabulus,  “  find  something  to  say  in  its  favor  ; 
for  my  part,  I  consider  it  as  rather  curious  myself.” 

Curious  !  ’  ’  exclaimed  Paul ;  ‘  ‘  that  gentleman  is  at 
least  singular  in  the  choice  of  his  expressions.” 

“You  have  met  him  before  to-day,”  said  Eve,  laughing, 
for  Eve  was  now  in  a  humor  to  laugh  at  trifles.  “  This  we 
know,  since  he  prepared  us  to  meet  a  poet,  where  we  only 
find  an  old  friend.” 

Only,  Miss  Effingham  !  Do  you  estimate  poets  so  high, 
and  old  friends  so  low  ?  ’  ’ 

“This  extraordinary  person,  Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg, 
really  deranges  all  one’s  notions  and  opinions  in  such  a 
manner,  as  to  destroy  even  the  usual  signification  of  words, 
I  believe.  He  seems  so  much  in,  and  yet  so  much  out  of 
his  place  ;  is  both  so  ruse  and  so  unpractised  ;  so  unfit  for 
what  he  is,  and  so  ready  at  everything,  that  I  scarcely  know 
how  to  apply  terms  in  any  matter  with  which  he  has  the 
smallest  connection.  I  fear  he  has  persecuted  you  since  your 
arrival  in  Templeton  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Not  at  all ;  I  am  so  much  acquainted  with  men  of  his 
cast,  that  I  have  acquired  a  tact  in  managing  them.  Per¬ 
ceiving  that  he  was  disposed  to  suspect  me  of  a  disposition 
to  ‘  poetize  the  lake,’  to  use  his  own  term,  I  took  care  to  drop 
a  couple  of  lines,  roughly  written  off,  like  a  hasty  and 
imperfect  effusion,  where  I  felt  sure  he  would  find  them, 
and  have  been  living  for  a  whole  week  on  the  fame  thereof.  ’  ’ 

“You  do  indulge  in  such  tastes,  then  ?  ”  said  Eve,  smiling 
a  little  saucily. 

“  I  am  as  innocent  of  such  an  ambition  as  of  wishing  to 
marry  the  heiress  of  the  British  throne,  which,  I  believe, 


ibome  as  jfounb 


143 


just  now,  is  the  goal  of  all  the  Icaruses  of  our  own  time.  I 
am  merely  a  rank  plagiarist— for  the  rhyme,  on  the  fame  of 
which  I  have  rioted  for  a  glorious  week,  was  two  lines  of 
Pope’s,  an  author  so  effectually  forgotten  in  these  palmy 
days  of  literature,  in  which  all  knowledge  seems  so  con¬ 
densed  into  the  productions  of  the  last  few  years,  that  a  man 
might  almost  pass  off  an  entire  classic  for  his  own,  without 
the  fear  of  detection.  It  was  merely  the  first  couplet  of 
the  ‘  Essay  on  Man,’  which,  fortunately,  having  an  allusion 
to  the  pride  of  kings,’  would  pass  for  original,  as  well  as 
excellent,  in  nineteen  villages  in  twenty  in  America,  in 
these  piping  times  of  ultra-republicanism.  No  doubt  Mr. 
Bragg  thought  a  eulogy  on  the  ‘  people  ’  was  to  come  next, 

to  be  succeeded  by  a  glorious  picture  of  Templeton  and  its 
environs.  ’  ’ 

“  I  do  not  know  that  I  ought  to  admit  these  hits  at  liberty 
from  a  foreigner,”  said  Eve,  pretending  to  look  graver  than 
she  felt  ;  for  never  before,  in  her  life,  had  our  heroine  so 
strong  a  consciousness  of  happiness  as  she  had  experi¬ 
enced  that  very  morning. 

Foreigner,  Miss  Effingham  !  And  why  a  foreigner  ?  ” 

“Nay,  you  know  your  own  pretended  cosmopolitanism  ; 

and  ought  not  the  cousin  of  Captain  Ducie  to  be  an  English¬ 
man  ?  ” 

“  I  shall  not  answer  for  the  ought,  the  simple  fact  being 
a  sufficient  reply  to  the  question.  The  cousin  of  Captain 
Ducie  is  not  an  Englishman  ;  nor,  as  I  see  you  suspect,  has 
he  ever  served  a  day  in  the  British  navy,  or  in  any  other 
navy  than  that  of  his  native  land.” 

“This  is  indeed  taking  us  by  surprise,  and  that  most 
agreeably,”  returned  Eve,  looking  up  at  him  with  undis¬ 
guised  pleasure,  while  a  bright  glow  crimsoned  her  face. 

We  could  not  but  feel  an  interest  in  one  who  had  so 
effectually  served  us  ;  and  both  my  father  and  Mr  John 
Effingham—” 

“  Cousin  Jack—”  interrupted  the  smiling  Paul. 

“  Cousin  Jack,  then,  if  you  dislike  the  formality  I  used  ; 
both  my  father  and  cousin  Jack  examined  the  American 
navy  registers  for  your  name,  without  success,  as  I  under- 


144 


Iborne  as  ffounb 


stood,  and  the  inference  that  followed  was  fair  enough,  I 
believe  you  will  admit.” 

“  Had  they  looked  at  the  register  of  a  few  years’  date,  they 
would  have  met  with  better  luck.  I  have  quitted  the  service, 
and  am  a  sailor  only  in  recollections.  For  the  last  few  years, 
like  yourselves,  I  have  been  a  traveller  by  land  as  well  as  by 
water.  ’  ’ 

Eve  said  no  more,  though  every  syllable  that  the  young 
man  uttered  was  received  by  attentive  ears,  and  retained 
with  a  scrupulous  fidelity  of  memory.  They  walked  some 
distance  in  silence,  until  they  reached  the  grounds  of  a 
house  that  was  beautifully  placed  on  the  side  of  the  moun¬ 
tain,  near  a  lovely  wood  of  pines.  Crossing  these  grounds, 
until  they  reached  a  terrace  in  front  of  the  dwelling,  the 
village  of  Templeton  lay  directly  in  their  front,  perhaps  a 
hundred  feet  beneath  them,  and  yet  so  near,  as  to  render 
the  minutest  object  distinct.  Here  they  all  stopped  to  take 
a  more  distinct  view  of  a  place  that  had  so  much  interest 
with  most  of  the  party. 

‘  ‘  I  hope  you  are  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  locali¬ 
ties  to  act  as  cicerone,”  said  Mr.  Effingham  to  Paul.  “  In 
a  visit  of  a  week  to  this  village,  }^ou  have  scarcely  over¬ 
looked  the  Wigwam.” 

‘  ‘  Perhaps  I  ought  to  hesitate,  or  rather  ought  to  blush, 
to  own  it,”  answered  the  young  man,  discharging  the  latter 
obligation  by  coloring  to  his  temples  ;  ‘  ‘  but  curiosity  has 
proved  so  much  stronger  than  manners,  that  I  have  been 
induced  to  trespass  so  far  on  the  politeness  of  this  gentle¬ 
man,  as  to  gain  an  admission  to  your  dwelling,  in  and  about 
which  more  of  my  time  has  been  passed  than  has  probably 
proved  agreeable  to  its  inmates.” 

“  I  hope  the  gentleman  will  not  .speak  of  it,”  said  Aris- 
tabulus.  “  In  this  country,  we  live  pretty  much  in  com¬ 
mon,  and  with  me  it  is  a  rule,  when  a  gentleman  drops  in, 
whether  stranger  or  neighbor,  to  show  him  the  civility  to 
ask  him  to  take  off  his  hat.” 

“  It  appears  to  me,”  said  Eve,  willing  to  change  the  con¬ 
versation,  “  that  Templeton  has  an  unusual  number  of  stee- 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


J45 

pies  ;  for  what  purpose  can  so  small  a  place  possibly  require 
so  many  buildings  of  that  nature  !  ” 

“All  in  behalf  of  orthodoxy,  Miss  Eve,”  returned  Aris* 
tabulus,  who  conceived  himself  to  be  the  proper  person  to 
answer  such  interrogatories.  “  There  is  a  shade  of  opinion 
beneath  every  one  of  those  steeples.” 

“Do  you  mean,  sir,  that  there  are  as  many  shades  of 
faith  in  Templeton,  as  I  now  see  buildings  that  have  the 
appearance  of  being  devoted  to  religious  purposes?” 

“Double  the  number,  Miss,  and  some  to  spare,  in  the 
bargain  ;  for  you  see  but  five  meeting-houses,  and  the 
county-buildings,  and  we  reckon  seven  hostile  denomina-  r  (  y  ■ 
tions  in  the  village,  besides  the  diversities  of  sentiment  on 
trifles.  This  edifice  that  you  perceive  here,  in  a  line  with 
the  chimneys  of  the  first  house,  is  New  St.  Paul’s,  Mr. 

Grant  s  old  church,  as  orthodox  a  house,  in  its  way,  as 
there  is  in  the  diocese,  as  you  may  see  by  the  windows. 

This  is  a  gaining  concern,  though  there  has  been  some  fall¬ 
ing  off  of  late,  in  consequence  of  the  clergyman’s  having 
caught  a  bad  cold,  which  has  made  him  a  little  hoarse  ;  but 
I  dare  say  he  will  get  over  it,  and  the  church  ought  not  to 
be  abandoned  on  that  account,  serious  as  the  matter  un¬ 
doubtedly  is,  for  the  moment.  A  few  of  us  have  determined 
to  back  up  New  St.  Paul’s  in  this  crisis,  and  I  make  it  a 
point  to  go  there  myself  quite  half  the  time.” 

“  I  am  glad  we  have  so  much  of  your  company,”  said 
Mr.  Effingham,  “for  that  is  our  own  church,  and  in  it  my 
daughter  was  baptized.  But,  do  you  divide  your  religious 
opinions  in  halves,  Mr.  Bragg  ?  ’  ’ 

“  In  as  many  parts,  Mr.  Effingham,  as  there  are  denom¬ 
inations  in  the  neighborhood,  giving  a  decided  preference  to 
New  St.  Paul  s,  notwithstanding,  under  the  peculiar  circum¬ 
stances,  particularly  to  the  windows.  The  dark,  gloomy- 
looking  building,  Miss,  off  in  the  distance  yonder,  is  the 
Methodist  affair,  of  which  not  much  need  be  said  ;  Meth¬ 
odism  flourishing  but  little  among  us  since  the  introduction 
of  the  New  Eights,  who  have  fairly  managed  to  out-excite 
them  on  every  plan  they  can  invent.  I  believe,  however 

IO  '  > 


146 


Ifoome  as  jfounb 


they  stick  pretty  much  to  the  old  doctrine,  which  no  doubt 
is  one  great  reason  of  their  present  apathetic  state  ;  for  the 
people  do  love  novelties.” 

“  Pray,  sir,  what  building  is  this  nearly  in  a  line  with 
New  St.  Paul’s,  and  which  resembles  it  a  little  in  color  and 
form  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Windows  excepted  ;  it  has  two  rows  of  regular  square- 
topped  windows,  Miss,  as  you  may  observe.  That  is  the 
First  Presbyterian,  or  the  old  standard  ;  a  very  good  house, 
and  a  pretty  good  faith,  too,  as  times  go.  I  make  it  a 
point  to  attend  there  at  least  once  every  fortnight ;  for 
change  is  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  man.  I  will  say,  Miss, 
that  my  preference,  so  far  as  I  have  any,  however,  is  for 
New  St.  Paul’s,  and  I  have  experienced  considerable  regrets 
that  these  Presbyterians  have  gained  a  material  advantage 
over  us,  in  a  very  essential  point,  lately.” 

“I  am  sorry  to  hear  this,  Mr.  Bragg  ;  for,  being  an 
Episcopalian  myself,  and  having  great  reliance  on  the  an¬ 
tiquity  and  purity  of  my  Church,  I  should  be  sorry  to  find 
it  put  in  the  wrong  by  any  other.” 

‘  ‘  I  fear  we  must  give  that  point  up,  notwithstanding  ; 
for  these  Presbyterians  have  entirely  outwitted  the  Church 
people  in  that  matter.  ’  ’ 

“  And  what  is  the  point  in  which  we  have  been  so  sig¬ 
nally  worsted  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Why,  Miss,  their  new  bell  weighs  quite  a  hundred  more 
than  that  of  New  St.  Paul’s,  and  has  altogether  the  best 
sound.  I  know  very  well  that  this  advantage  will  not  avail 
them  anything  to  boast  of,  in  the  last  great  account  ;  but 
it  makes  a  surprising  difference  in  the  state  of  probation. 
You  see  the  yellowish-looking  building  across  the  valley, 
with  a  heavy  wall  around  it,  and  a  belfry  ?  That,  in  its 
regular  character,  is  the  county  court-house  and  jail  ;  but 
in  the  way  of  religion,  it  is  used  pretty  much  miscellane¬ 
ously.” 

“Do  you  mean,  really,  sir,  that  divine  service  is  ever 
actually  performed  in  it,  or  that  persons  of  all  denominations 
are  occasionally  tried  there?  ” 

“  It  would  be  truer  to  say  that  all  denominations  occasion- 


Ibonte  as  .ffounfc 


147 


ally  try  the  court-house,”  said  Aristabulus,  simpering  ;  ‘‘for 
I  believe  it  has  been  used  in  this  way  by  every  shade  of 
religion  short  of  the  Jews.  The  Gothic  tower  in  wood  is 
the  building  of  the  Universalists  ;  and  the  Grecian  edifice, 
that  is  not  yet  painted,  of  the  Baptists.  The  Quakers,  I 
believe,  worship  chiefly  at  home,  and  the  different  shades 
of  the  Presbyterians  meet  in  different  rooms  in  private 
houses  about  the  place.” 

Are  there  then  shades  of  difference  in  the  denomina¬ 
tions,  as  well  as  all  these  denominations?”  asked  Eve, 
in  unfeigned  surprise ;  “and  this,  too,  in  a  population  so 
small  ?  ’  ’ 

“This  is  a  free  country,  Miss  Eve,  and  freedom  loves 
variety.  ‘  Many  men,  many  minds.’  ” 

Quite  tiue,  sir,”  said  Paul  ;  “  but  here  are  many  minds 
among  few  men.  Nor  is  this  all ;  agreeably  to  your  own 
account,  some  of  these  men  do  not  exactly  know  their  own 
minds.  But  can  you  explain  to  us  what  essential  points  are 
involved  in  all  these  shades  of  opinion  ?  ” 

“  It  would  require  a  life,  sir,  to  understand  the  half  of 
them.  Some  say  that  excitement  is  religion,  and  others, 
that  it  is  contentment.  One  set  cries  up  practice,  and  an¬ 
other  cries  out  against  it.  This  man  maintains  that  he  will 
be  saved  if  he  does  good,  and  that  man  affirms  that  if  he 
only  does  good,  he  will  be  damned  ;  a  little  evil  is  neces¬ 
sary  to  salvation,  with  one  shade  of  opinion,  while  another 
thinks  a  man  is  never  so  near  conversion  as  when  he  is 
deepest  in  sin.” 

“  Subdivision  is  the  order  of  the  day,”  added  John  Effing¬ 
ham.  “  Every  county  is  to  be  subdivided,  that  there  may 
be  more  county  towns  and  county  offices  ;  every  religion 
decimated,  that  there  may  be  a  greater  variety  and  a  better 
quality  of  saints.” 

Aristabulus  nodded  his  head,  and  he  would  have  winked, 
could  he  have  presumed  to  take  such  a  liberty  with  a  man 
he  held  as  much  in  habitual  awe  as  John  Effingham. 

“ Monsieur ,”  inquired  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  ‘‘is  there 
no  iglise  no  veritable  eglise  in  Templeton  ?  ” 

Oh,  yes,  Madame,  several,  ’  ’  returned  Aristabulus,  who 


148 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


would  as  soon  think  of  admitting  that  he  did  not  understand 
the  meaning  of  veritable  eglise ,  as  one  of  the  sects  he  had 
been  describing  would  think  of  admitting  that  it  was  not 
infallible  in  its  interpretation  of  Christianity,  ‘  ‘  several  ;  but 
they  are  not  to  be  seen  from  this  particular  spot.” 

“How  much  more  picturesque  would  it  be,  and  even 
Christian-like  in  appearance,  at  least,”  said  Paul,  ‘‘could 
these  good  people  consent  to  unite  in  worshipping  God  ! 
and  how  much  does  it  bring  into  strong  relief  the  feebleness 
and  ignorance  of  man,  when  you  see  him  splitting  hairs 
about  doctrines,  under  which  he  has  been  told,  in  terms  as 
plain  as  language  can  make  it,  that  he  is  simply  required  to 
believe  in  the  goodness  and  power  of  a  Being  whose  nature 
and  agencies  exceed  his  comprehension  !  ” 

“  All  very  true,”  cried  John  Effingham,  “but  what  would 
become  of  liberty  of  conscience  in  such  a  case  ?  Most  men, 
nowadays,  understand  by  faith,  a  firm  reliance  on  their 
own  opinions  !  ” 

“  In  that  case,  too,”  put  in  Aristabulus,  “we  should  wTant 
this  handsome  display  of  churches  to  adorn  our  village. 
There  is  good  comes  of  it ;  for  any  man  would  be  more 
likely  to  invest  in  a  place  that  has  five  churches  than  in  a 
place  with  but  one.  As  it  is,  Templeton  has  as  beautiful  a 
set  of  churches  as  any  village  I  know.” 

‘  ‘  Say  rather,  sir,  a  set  of  castors  ;  for  a  stronger  resem¬ 
blance  to  vinegar-cruets  and  mustard-pots  than  is  borne  by 
these  architectural  prodigies,  eye  never  beheld.” 

“  It  is,  nevertheless,  a  beautiful  thing,  to  see  the  high 
pointed  roof  of  the  house  of  God,  crowning  an  assemblage 
of  houses,  as  one  finds  it  in  other  countries,”  said  Eve,  “  in¬ 
stead  of  a  pile  of  tavern,  as  is  too  much  the  case  in  this  dear 
home  of  ours.” 

When  this  remark  was  uttered,  they  descended  the  step 
that  led  from  the  terrace,  and  proceeded  towards  the  village. 
On  reaching  the  gate  of  the  Wigwam,  the  whole  party  stood 
confronted  with  that  offspring  of  John  Effingham's  taste; 
for  so  great  had  been  his  improvements  on  the  original  pro¬ 
duction  of  Hiram  Doolittle,  that  externally,  at  least,  that 


Ibotne  as  jfounb 


149 


distinguished  architect  could  no  longer  have  recognized  the 
fruits  of  his  own  talents. 

“This  is  carrying  out  to  the  full,  John,  the  conceits  of 
the  composite  order,”  observed  Mr.  Effingham,  dryly. 

“  I  shall  be  sorry,  Ned,  if  you  dislike  your  house  as  it  is 
amended  and  corrected.” 

“  Dear  cousin  Jack,”  cried  Eve,  “it  is  an  odd  jumble  of 
the  Grecian  and  Gothic.  One  would  like  to  know  yout 
authorities  for  such  a  liberty.” 

What  do  you  think  of  the  facade  of  the  Cathedral  of 
Milan,  Miss  ?  ”  laying  emphasis  on  the  last  words,  in  imita¬ 
tion  of  the  manner  of  Mr.  Bragg.  “  Is  it  such  a  novelty  to 
see  the  two  styles  blended  ;  or  is  architecture  so  pure  in 
America,  that  you  think  I  have  committed  the  unpardon¬ 
able  sin  ?  ’  ’ 

Nay,  nothing  that  is  out  of  rule  ought  to  strike  one  in  a 
country  where  imitation  governs  in  all  things  immaterial,  and 
originality  unsettles  all  things  sacred  and  dear.” 

“  By  way  of  punishment  for  that  bold  speech,  I  wish  I 
had  left  the  old  rookery  in  the  state  I  found  it,  that  its 
beauties  might  have  greeted  your  eyes,  instead  of  this 
uncouth  pile,  which  seems  so  much  to  offend  them.  Made¬ 
moiselle  Viefville,  permit  me  to  ask  how  you  like  that 
house  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Mais ,  d  est  un  petit  chateau .” 

“  Un  chateau,  Effing hamisi ,”  said  Eve,  laughing. 

“  Effinghamisi  si  vous  voulez ,  ma  chire  ;  pour  taut  d  est  un 
chateau .  ’  ’ 

“  The  general  opinion  in  this  part  of  the  country  is,”  said 
Aristabulus,  “  that  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  altered  the 
building  on  the  plan  of  some  edifice  of  Europe,  though  I 
forget  the  name  of  the  particular  temple  ;  it  is  not,  however, 
the  Parthenon,  nor  the  temple  of  Minerva.” 

“  I  hope  at  least,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  leading  the  way 
up  a  little  lawn,  “  it  will  not  turn  out  to  be  the  Temple  of 
the  Winds,” 


CHAPTER  XI. 


“Nay,  I  ’ll  come  ;  if  I  lose  a  scruple  of  this  sport,  let  me  be  boiled 
to  death  with  melancholy.” 

Twelfth  Night. 


THE  progress  of  society  in  America  has  been  distin¬ 
guished  by  several  peculiarities  that  do  not  so 
properly  belong  to  the  more  regular  and  method¬ 
ical  advances  of  civilization  in  other  parts  of  the 
world.  On  the  one  hand,  the  arts  of  life,  like  Minerva,  who 
was  struck  out  of  the  intellectual  being  of  her  father  at  a 
blow,  have  started  full-grown  into  existence,  as  the  legiti¬ 
mate  inheritance  of  the  colonists,  while  on  the  other,  every¬ 
thing  tends  towards  settling  down  into  a  medium,  as  regards 
quality,  a  consequence  of  the  community-character  of  the 
institutions.  Everything  she  had  seen  that  day  had  struck 
Eve  as  partaking  of  this  mixed  nature,  in  which,  while 
nothing  was  vulgar,  little  even  approached  to  that  high 
standard  that  her  European  education  had  taught  her  to 
esteem  perfect.  In  the  Wigwam,  however,  as  her  father’s 
cousin  had  seen  fit  to  name  the  family  dwelling,  there  was 
more  of  keeping,  and  a  closer  attention  to  the  many  little 
things  she  had  been  accustomed  to  consider  essential  to  com¬ 
fort  and  elegance,  and  she  was  better  satisfied  with  her 
future  home  than  with  most  she  had  seen  since  her  return  to 
America. 

As  we  have  described  the  interior  of  this  house  in  another 
work,  little  remains  to  be  said  on  the  subject  at  present ;  for, 
while  John  Effingham  had  completely  altered  its  external 
appearance,  its  internal  was  not  much  changed.  It  is  true, 
the  cloud-colored  covering  had  disappeared,  as  had  that 
stoop  also,  the  columns  of  which  were  so  nobly  upheld  by 


ibonte  as  ffounfc 


is  i 


their  superstructure ;  the  former  having  given  place  to  a 
less  obtrusive  roof,  that  was  regularly  embattled,  and  the 
latter  having  been  swallowed  up  by  a  small  entrance  tower 
that  the  new  architect  had  contrived  to  attach  to  the  build¬ 
ing  with  quite  as  much  advantage  to  it  in  the  way  of  comfort 
as  in  the  way  of  appearance.  In  truth,  the  Wigwam  had 
none  of  the  more  familiar  features  of  a  modern  American 
dwelling  of  its  class.  There  was  not  a  column  about  it, 
whether  Grecian,  Roman,  or  Egyptian  ;  no  Venetian  blinds ; 
no  veranda  or  piazza  ;  no  outside  paint,  nor  gay  blending  of 
colors.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  a  plain  old  structure,  built 
with  great  solidity  and  of  excellent  materials,  and  in  that 
style  of  respectable  dignity  and  propriety  that  was  perhaps 
a  little  more  peculiar  to  our  fathers  than  it  is  to  their  succes¬ 
sors,  our  worthy  selves.  In  addition  to  the  entrance  tower, 
or  porch,  on  its  northern  front,  John  Effingham  had  also 
placed  a  prettily  devised  conceit  on  the  southern,  by  means 
of  which  the  abrupt  transition  from  an  inner  room  to  the 
open  air  was  adroitly  avoided.  He  had,  moreover,  removed 
the  ‘  ‘  firstly  ’  ’  of  the  edifice,  and  supplied  its  place  with  a 
more  suitable  addition  that  contained  some  of  the  offices, 
while  it  did  not  disfigure  the  building,  a  rare  circumstance 
in  an  architectural  after-thought. 

Internally  the  Wigwam  had  gradually  been  undergoing 
improvements  ever  since  that  period,  which,  in  the  way  of 
the  arts,  if  not  in  the  way  of  chronology,  might  be  termed 
the  dark  ages  of  Otsego.  The  great  hall  had  long  before 
lost  its  characteristic  .decoration  of  the  severed  arm  of  Wolf, 
a  Gothic  paper  that  was  better  adapted  to  the  really  respect¬ 
able  architecture  <3f  the  room  being  its  substitute  *  and  even 
the  urn  that  was  thought  to  contain  the  ashes  of  Queen 
Dido,  like  the  pitcher  that  goes  often  to  the  well,  had  been 
broken  in  a  war  of  extermination  that  had  been  carried  on 
against  the  cobwebs,  by  a  particularly  notable  housekeeper. 
Old  Homer,  too,  had  gone  the  way  of  all  baked  clay; 
Shakespeare  himself  had  dissolved  into  dust,  “leaving  not  a 
wreck  behind”  ;  and  of  Washington  and  Franklin,  even, 
indigenous  as  they  were,  there  remained  no  vestiges.  In¬ 
stead  of  these  venerable  memorials  of  the  past,  John 


Ibcmte  as  f  ounb 


152 


Effingham,  who  retained  a  pleasing  recollection  of  their 
beauties  as  they  had  presented  themselves  to  his  boyish 
eyes,  had  bought  a  few  substitutes  in  a  New  York  shop, 
and  a  Shakespeare,  and  a  Milton,  and  a  Caesar,  and  a  Dry- 
den,  and  a  Locke,  as  the  writers  of  heroic  so  beautifully 
express  it,  were  now  seated  in  tranquil  dignity  on  the  old 
medallions  that  had  held  their  illustrious  predecessors. 
Although  time  had,  as  yet,  done  little  for  this  new  collec¬ 
tion  in  the  way  of  color,  dust  and  neglect  were  already 
throwing  around  them  the  tint  of  antiquity. 

“  The  lady,”  to  use  the  language  of  Mr.  Bragg,  who  did 
the  cooking  of  the  Wigwam,  having  everything  in  readi¬ 
ness,  our  party  took  their  seats  at  the  breakfast-table, 
which  was  .spread  in  the  great  hall,  as  soon  as  each  had 
paid  a  little  attention  to  the  toilette.  As  the  service  was 
neither  very  scientific  nor  sufficiently  peculiar,  either  in  the 
way  of  elegance  or  of  its  opposite  quality,  to  be  worthy  of 
notice,  we  shall  pass  it  over  in  silence. 

‘  ‘  One  will  not  quite  so  much  miss  European  architecture 
in  this  house,”  said  Eve,  as  she  took  her  seat  at  table, 
glancing  an  eye  at  the  spacious  and  lofty  room  in  which 
they  were  assembled  ;  ‘  ‘  here  is  at  least  size  and  its  com¬ 
forts,  if  not  elegance.” 

“  Had  you  lost  all  recollection  of  this  building,  my 
child  ?  ’  ’  inquired  the  father,  kindly  ;  “I  was  in  hopes  you 
wTould  feel  some  of  the  happiness  of  returning  home,  when 
you  again  found  yourself  beneath  its  roof  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  should  greatly  dislike  to  have  all  the  antics  I  have 
been  playing  in  my  own  dressing-room  exposed,”  returned 
Eve,  rewarding  the  parental  solitude  of  her  father  by  a 
look  of  love,  “  though  Grace,  between  her  laughing  and  her 
tears,  has  threatened  me  with  such  a  disgrace.  Ann  Sidley 
has  also  been  weeping  ;  and  as  even  Annette,  always  cour¬ 
teous  and  considerate,  has  shed  a  few  tears  in  the  wa}r  of 
sympathy,  you  ought  not  to  imagine  that  I  have  been 
altogether  so  stoical  as  not  to  betray  some  feeling,  dear 
father.  But  the  paroxysm  is  past,  and  I  am  beginning  to 
philosophize.  I  hope,  cousin  Jack,  you  have  not  forgotten 
that  the  drawing-room  is  a  lady's  empire  !  ” 


tbome  as  tfounb 


TS3 


“  I  have  respected  your  rights,  Miss  Effingham,  though, 
with  a  wish  to  prevent  any  violence  to  your  tastes,  I  have 
caused  sundry  antediluvian  paintings  and  engravings  to  be 
consigned  to  the — ” 

“Garret?”  inquired  Eve,  so  quickly  as  to  interrupt  the 
speaker. 

“  Fire,”  coolly  returned  her  cousin.  “The  garret  is  now 
much  too  good  for  them  ;  that  part  of  the  house  being  con¬ 
verted  into  sleeping-rooms  for  the  maids.  Mademoiselle" 
Annette  would  go  into  hysterics,  were  she  to  see  the  works 
of  art  that  satisfied  the  past  generation  of  masters  in  this 
country,  in  too  close  familiarity  with  her  Eouvre-ized 
eyes.  ’  ’  X 

“Point  du  tout ,  Monsieur ,”  said  Mademoiselle  Viefville, 
innocently  ;  “  Annette  a  du  gout  dans  son  metier  sans  doute, 
but  she  is  too  well-bred  to  expect  impossibility .  No  doubt 
she  would  have  conducted  herself  with  decorum.” 

Everybody  laughed,  for  much  light-heartedness  prevailed 
at  that  board,  and  the  conversation  continued. 

“  I  shall  be  satisfied  if  Annette  escape  convulsions,”  Eve 
added,  “a  refined  taste  being  her  weakness;  and  to  be 
frank,  what  I  recollect  of  the  works  you  mention,  is  not  of 


the  most  flattering  nature.” 

“  And  yet,”  observed  Sir  George,  “  nothing  has  surprised 
me  more  than  the  respectable  state  of  the  arts  of  engraving 
and  painting  in  this  country.  It  was  unlooked  for,  and  the 
pleasure  has  probably  been  in  proportion  to  the  surprise.” 

“  In  that  you  are  very  right,  Sir  George  Templemore,” 
John  Effingham  answered;  “but  the  improvement  is  of 
very  recent  date.  He  who  remembers  an  American  town 
half  a  century  ago,  will  see  a  very  different  thing  in  an 
American  town  of  to-day  ;  and  this  is  equally  true  of  the 
arts  you  mention,  with  the  essential  difference  that  the  latter 
are  taking  a  right  direction  under  a  proper  instruction,  while 
the  former  are  taking  a  wrong  direction  under  the  influence 
of  money,  that  has  no  instruction.  Had  I  left  much  of  the 
old  furniture  or  any  of  the  old  pictures  in  the  Wigwam,  we 
should  have  had  the  bland  features  of  Miss  Effingham  in 
frowns,  instead  of  bewitching  smiles,  at  this  very  moment.” 


x54 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


‘  ‘  And  yet  I  have  seen  fine  old  furniture  in  this  country, 
cousin  Jack.” 

“  Very  true  ;  though  notin  this  part  of  it.  The  means 
of  conveyance  were  wanting  half  a  century  since,  and  few 
people  risk  finery  of  any  sort  on  corduroys.  This  very 
house  had  some  respectable  old  things,  that  were  brought 
here  by  dint  of  money,  and  they  still  remain  ;  but  the 
eighteenth  century  in  general  may  be  set  down  as  a  very 
dark  antiquity  in  all  this  region.” 

When  the  repast  was  over,  Mr.  Effingham  led  his  guests 
and  daughter  through  the  principal  apartments,  sometimes 
commending  and  sometimes  laughing  at  the  conceits  of  his 
kinsman.  The  library  was  a  good-sized  room  ;  good-sized 
at  least  for  a  country  in  wThich  domestic  architecture,  as 
well  as  public  architecture,  is  still  in  the  chrysalis  state. 
Its  walls  were  hung  with  an  exceedingly  pretty  Gothic 
paper,  in  green,  but  over  each  window  was  a  chasm  in  the 
upper  border  ;  and  as  this  border  supplied  the  arches,  the 
unity  of  the  entire  design  was  broken  in  no  less  than  four 
places,  that  being  the  precise  number  of  the  windows.  The 
defect  soon  attracted  the  eye  of  Eve,  and  she  was  not  slow 
in  demanding  an  explanation. 

“  The  deficiency  is  owing  to  an  American  accident,” 
returned  her  cousin  ;  ‘  ‘  one  of  those  calamities  of  which  you 
are  fated  to  experience  many,  as  the  mistress  of  an  Ameri¬ 
can  household.  No  more  of  the  border  was  to  be  bought 
in  the  country',  and  this  is  a  land  of  shops  and  not  of  fabri- 
cants.  At  Paris,  Mademoiselle,  one  would  send  to  the 
paper-maker  for  a  supply ;  but,  alas !  he  that  has  not 
enough  of  a  thing  with  us,  is  as  badly  off  as  if  he  had 
none.  We  are  consumers  and  not  producers  of  works  of 
art.  It  is  a  long  way  to  send  to  France  for  ten  or  fifteen 
feet  of  paper  hangings,  and  yet  this  must  be  done,  or  my 
beautiful  Gothic  arches  will  remain  forever  without  their 
key-stones  !  ’  ’ 

‘‘One  sees  the  inconvenience  of  this,”  observed  Sir 
George  ;  “we  feel  it,  even  in  England,  in  all  that  relates  to 
imported  things.” 

“  And  we.  in  nearly  all  things  but  food.” 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


155 

“  And  does  not  this  show  that  America  can  never  become 
a  manufacturing  country  ?  ”  asked  the  baronet,  with  the  in¬ 
terest  an  intelligent  Englishman  ever  feels  in  that  all-absorb¬ 
ing  question.  ‘  ‘  If  you  cannot  manufacture  an  article  as 
simple  as  that  of  paper-hangings,  would  it  not  be  well  to  turn 
your  attention  altogether  to  agriculture  ?  ” 

As  the  feeling  of  this  interrogatory  was  much  more  appar¬ 
ent  than  its  logic,  smiles  passed  from  one  to  the  other,  though 
John  Effingham,  who  really  had  a  regard  for  Sir  George, 
was  content  to  make  an  evasive  reply,  a  singular  proof  of 
amity  in  a  man  of  his  caustic  temperament. 

The  survey  of  the  house,  on  the  whole,  proved  satisfactory 
to  its  future  mistress,  who  complained,  however,  that  it  was 
furnished  too  much  like  a  town  residence. 

“  For,”  she  added,  “you will  remember,  cousin  Jack,  that 
our  visits  here  will  be  something  like  a  villeggiatura .” 

“  Yes,  yes,  my  fair  lady  ;  it  will  not  be  long  before  your 
Parisian  and  Roman  tastes  will  be  ready  to  pronounce  the 
whole  country  a  villeggiatura  !  ’  * 

“This  is  the  penalty,  Eve,  one  pays  for  being  a  Hajji,” 
observed  Grace,  who  had  been  closely  watching  the  express 
sion  of  the  others’  countenances  ;  for,  agreeably  to  her  view 
of  things,  the  Wigwam  wanted  nothing  to  render  it  a  per¬ 
fect  abode.  “  The  things  that  we  enjoy,  you  despise.” 

“That  is  an  argument,  my  dear  coz,  that  would  apply 
equally  well  as  a  reason  for  preferring  brown  sugar  to 
white.” 

“In  coffee,  certainly,  Miss  Eve,”  put  in  the  attentive 
Aristabulus,  who  having  acquired  this  taste,  in  virtue  of  an 
economical  mother,  really  fancied  it  a  pure  one.  “  Every¬ 
body,  in  these  regions,  prefers  brown  in  coffee.” 

“  Oh,  mon  pere  et  ma  mere ,  comme  je  vous  en  veux,"  said 
Eve,  without  attending  to  the  nice  distinctions  of  Mr. 
Bragg,  which  savored  a  little  too  much  of  the  neophyte  in 
cookery  to  find  favor  in  the  present  company,  “  comme  je 
vous  en  veux  for  having  neglected  so  many  beautiful  sites,  to 
place  this  building  in  the  very  spot  it  occupies.” 

“  In  that  respect,  my  child,  we  may  rather  be  grateful  at 
finding  so  comfortable  a  house  at  all.  Compared  with  the 


i56 


Ibotne  as  ffounb 


civilization  that  then  surrounded  it,  this  dwelling  was  a 
palace  at  the  time  of  its  erection  ;  bearing  some  such  rela¬ 
tion  to  the  humbler  structures  around  it,  as  the  chateau 
bears  to  the  cottage.  Remember  that  brick  had  never  before 
been  piled  on  brick,  in  the  walls  of  a  house,  in  all  this  region, 
when  the  Wigwam  was  constructed.  It  is  the  Temple  of 
Neptune  of  Otsego,  if  not  of  all  the  surrounding  counties.” 

Eve  pressed  to  her  lips  the  hand  she  was  holding  in  both 
her  own,  and  they  all  passed  out  of  the  library  into  another 
room.  As  they  came  in  front  of  the  hall  windows,  a  party 
of  apprentice-boys  were  seen  coolly  making  their  arrange¬ 
ments  to  amuse  themselves  with  a  game  of  ball,  on  the  lawn 
directly  in  front  of  the  house. 

“Surely,  Mr.  Bragg,”  said  the  owner  of  the  Wigwam, 
with  more  displeasure  in  his  voice  than  was  usual  for  one 
of  his  regulated  mind,  “you  do  not  countenance  this 
liberty  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Eiberty,  sir  !  I  am  an  advocate  for  liberty  wherever  I  can 
find  it.  Do  you  refer  to  the  young  men  on  the  lawn,  Mr. 
Effingham  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Certainly  to  them,  sir  ;  and  permit  me  to  say,  I  think 
they  might  have  chosen  a  more  suitable  spot  for  their  sports. 
They  are  mistaking  liberties  for  liberty,  I  fear.” 

“  Why,  sir,  I  believe  they  have  always  played  ball  in  that 
precise  locality.” 

“Always!  I  can  assure  you  this  is  a  great  mistake. 
What  private  family,  placed  as  we  are  in  the  centre  of  a 
village,  would  allow  of  an  invasion  of  its  privacy  in  this  rude 
manner?  Well  may  the  house  be  termed  a  Wigwam,  if  this 
whooping  is  to  be  tolerated  before  its  door.” 

“You  forget,  Ned,”  said  John  Effingham,  with  a  sneer, 
“that  an  American  always  means  just  eighteen  months. 
Antiquity  is  reached  in  five  lustra,  and  the  dark  ages  at  the 
end  of  a  human  life.  I  dare  say  these  amiable  young 
gentlemen,  who  enliven  their  sports  with  so  manj^  agreeable 
oaths,  would  think  you  very  unreasonable  and  encroaching 
to  presume  to  tell  them  they  are  unwelcome.” 

“To  own  the  truth,  Mr.  John,  it  would  be  downright 
unpopular.  ’  ’ 


Ibonte  as  jfounfc 


*57 


“  As  I  cannot  permit  the  ears  of  the  ladies  to  be  offended 
with  these  rude  brawls,  and  shall  never  consent  to  have 
grounds  that  are  so  limited,  and  which  so  properly  belong 
to  the  very  privacy  of  my  dwelling,  invaded  in  this  coarse 
manner,  I  beg,  Mr.  Bragg,  that  you  will  at  once  desire  these 
young  men  to  pursue  their  sports  somewhere  else.” 

Aristabulus  received  this  commission  with  a  very  ill 
grace  ;  for,  while  his  native  sagacity  told  him  that  Mr.  Ef¬ 
fingham  was  right,  he  too  well  knew  the  loose  habits  that 
had  been  rapidly  increasing  in  the  country  during  the  last 
ten  years,  not  to  foresee  that  the  order  would  do  violence  to 
all  the  apprentices’  preconceived  notions  of  their  immunities  ; 
for,  as  he  had  truly  stated,  things  move  on  at  so  quick  a 
pace  in  America,  and  popular  feeling  is  so  arbitrary,  that  a 
custom  of  a  twelvemonth’s  existence  is  deemed  sacred,  until 
the  public  itself  sees  fit  to  alter  it.  He  was  reluctantly  quit¬ 
ting  the  party  on  his  unpleasant  duty,  when  Mr.  Effingham 
turned  to  a  servant  who  belonged  to  the  place,  and  bade  him 
go  to  the  village  barber,  and  desire  him  to  come  to  the  Wig¬ 
wam  to  cut  his  hair ;  Pierre,  who  usually  performed  that 
office  for  him,  being  busied  in  unpacking  trunks. 

“  Never  mind,  Tom,”  said  Aristabulus  obligingly,  as  he 
took  up  his  hat ;  “I  am  going  into  the  street,  and  will  give 
the  message  to  Mr.  Lather.  ’  ’ 

“  I  cannot  think,  sir,  of  employing  you  on  such  a  duty,” 
hastily  interposed  Mr.  Effingham,  who  felt  a  gentleman’s 
reluctance  to  impose  an  unsuitable  office  on  any  of  his  de¬ 
pendents  ;  “  Tom,  I  am  sure,  will  do  me  the  favor.” 

‘  ‘  Do  not  name  it,  my  dear  sir  ;  nothing  makes  me  happier 
than  to  do  these  little  errands,  and,  another  time,  you  can  do 
as  much  for  me.” 

Aristabulus  now  went  on  his  way  more  cheerfully,  for  he 
determined  to  go  first  to  the  barber,  hoping  that  some  expe¬ 
dient  might  suggest  itself,  by  means  of  which  he  could  coax 
the  apprentices  from  the  lawn,  and  thus  escape  the  injury  to 
his  popularity  that  he  so  much  dreaded.  It  is  true,  these 
apprentices  were  not  voters,  but  then  some  of  them  speedily 
would  be,  and  all  of  them,  moreover,  had  tongues,  an  instru¬ 
ment  Mr.  Bragg  held  in  quite  as  much  awe  as  some  men 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


158 

dread  saltpetre.  In  passing  the  ball-players,  he  called  out 
in  a  wheedling  tone  to  their  ringleader,  a  notorious  street 
brawler, — 

“A  fine  time  for  sport,  Dickey  ;  don’t  you  think  there 
would  be  more  room  in  the  broad  street  than  on  this 
crowded  lawn,  where  you  lose  your  ball  so  often  in  the 
shrubbery  ?  ’  ’ 

“  This  place  will  do,  on  a  pinch,”  bawled  Dickey,  “  though 
it  might  be  better.  If  it  war  n’t  for  that  plagued  house,  we 
could  n’t  ask  for  abetter  ball-ground.” 

“  I  don’t  see,”  put  in  another,  “  what  folks  built  a  house 
just  in  that  spot  for  ;  for  it  has  spoilt  the  very  best  play¬ 
ground  in  the  village.” 

‘‘Some  people  have  their  notions  as  well  as  others,”  re¬ 
turned  Aristabulus  ;  “  but,  gentlemen,  if  I  were  in  your  place 
I  would  try  the  street.  I  feel  satisfied  you  would  find  it 
much  the  most  agreeable  and  convenient.” 

The  apprentices  thought  differently,  however,  or  they  were 
indisposed  to  the  change  ;  and  so  they  recommenced  their 
yells,  their  oaths,  and  their  game.  In  the  meanwhile  the 
party  in  the  house  continued  their  examination  of  John  Ef¬ 
fingham’s  improvements,  and  when  this  was  completed, 
they  separated,  each  to  his  or  her  own  room. 

Aristabulus  soon  reappeared  on  the  lawn,  and  approaching 
the  ball-players,  he  began  to  execute  his  commission,  as  he 
conceived,  in  good  earnest.  Instead  of  simpl\  sa}ing,  how¬ 
ever,  that  it  was  disagreeable  to  the  owner  of  the  propert)  to 
have  such  an  invasion  on  his  privacy,  and  thus  putting  a 
stop  to  the  intrusion  for  the  future  as  well  as  at  the  present 
moment,  he  believed  some  address  necessary  to  attain  the 
desired  end. 

‘‘Well,  Dickey,”  he  said,  ‘‘there  is  no  accounting  for 
tastes ;  but,  in  my  opinion,  the  street  would  be  a  much  bet¬ 
ter  place  to  play  ball  in  than  this  lawn.  I  wonder  gentlemen 
of  your  observation  should  be  satisfied  with  so  cramped  a 
playground.” 

“  I  tell  you,  Squire  Bragg,  this  will  do,”  roared  Dickey. 
‘‘We  are  in  a  hurry,  and  no  way  particular.  The  bosses 
will  be  after  us  in  half  an  hour.  Heave  away,  Sam  !  ” 


ibome  as  ffounfc 


*59 


“There  are  so  many  fences  hereabouts,”  continued 
Aristabulus,  with  an  air  of  indifference;  “it’s  true  the 
village  trustees  say  there  shall  be  no  ball-playing  in  the 
street,  but  I  conclude  you  don’t  much  mind  what  they  think 
or  threaten.” 

“  Let  them  sue  for  that,  if  they  like,”  bawled  a  particu¬ 
larly  amiable  blackguard,  called  Peter,  who  struck  his  ball 
as  he  spoke,  quite  into  the  principal  street  of  the  village. 

“Who’s  a  trustee,  that  he  should  tell  gentlemen  where 
they  are  to  play  ball !  ’  ’ 

“Sure  enough,”  said  Aristabulus,  “  and  now,  by  follow- 
ing  up  that  blow,  you  can  bring  matters  to  an  issue.  I 
think  the  law  very  oppressive,  and  you  can  never  have  so 
good  an  opportunity  to  bring  things  to  a  crisis.  Besides, 
it  is  very  aristocratic  to  play  ball  among  roses  and  dahlias. 

The  bait  took  ;  for  what  apprentice — American  appren¬ 
tice  in  particular— can  resist  the  opportunity  of  showing 
how  much  he  considers  himself  superior  to  the  law  ?  Then 
it  had  never  struck  any  of  the  party  before,  that  it  was 
vulgar  and  aristocratic  to  pursue  the  sport  among  roses,  and 
one  or  two  of  them  actually  complained  that  they  had 
pricked  their  fingers  in  searching  for  the  ball. 

‘  ‘  I  know  Mr.  Effingham  will  be  very  sorry  to  have  you 
go,”  continued  Aristabulus,  following  up  his  advantage, 

but  gentlemen  cannot  always  forego  their  pleasures  for 
other  folks.” 

“Who’s  Mr.  Effingham,  I  would  like  to  know?”  cried 
Joe  Wart.  “If  he  wants  people  to  play  ball  on  his  prem¬ 
ises,  let  him  cut  down  his  roses.  Come,  gentlemen,  I  con¬ 
form  to  Squire  Bragg,  and  invite  you  all  to  follow  me  into 
the  street.” 

As  the  lawn  was  now  evacuated  en  masse ,  Aristabulus 
proceeded  with  alacrity  to  the  house,  and  went  into  the 
library,  where  Mr.  Effingham  was  patiently  waiting  his 
return. 

“Iam  happy  to  inform  you,  sir,”  commenced  the  ambas¬ 
sador,  “that  the  ball-players  have  adjourned,  and  as  for 
Mr.  Lather,  he  declines  your  proposition.” 

“  Declines  my  proposition  !  ” 


i6o 


ibonte  as  ffounb 


“  Yes,  sir,  he  dislikes  to  come ;  for  he  thinks  it  will  be 
altogether  a  poor  operation.  His  notion  is,  that  if  it  be 
worth  his  while  to  come  up  to  the  Wigwam  to  cut  your 
hair,  it  may  be  worth  your  while  to  go  down  to  the  shop, 
to  have  it  cut.  Considering  the  matter  in  all  its  bearings, 
therefore,  he  concludes  he  would  rather  not  engage  in  the 
transaction  at  all.” 

“  I  regret,  sir,  to  have  consented  to  your  taking  so  dis¬ 
agreeable  a  commission,  and  regret  it  the  more,  now  I  find 
that  the  barber  is  disposed  to  be  troublesome.” 

“  Not  at  all,  sir.  Mr.  Lather  is  a  good  man,  in  his  way, 
and  particularly  neighborly.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Effingham, 
he  asked  me  to  propose  to  let  him  take  down  your  garden 
fence,  in  order  that  he  may  haul  some  manure  on  his  potato 
patch,  which  wants  it  dreadfully,  he  says.” 

“  Certainly,  sir.  I  cannot  possibly  object  to  his  hauling 
his  manure  even  through  this  house,  should  he  wish  it. 
He  is  so  very  valuable  a  citizen,  and  one  who  knows  his  own 
business  so  well,  that  I  am  only  surprised  at  the  moderation 
of  his  request.” 

Here  Mr.  Effingham  rose,  rang  the  bell  for  Pierre,  and 
went  to  his  own  room,  doubting  in  his  own  mind,  from  all 
that  he  had  seen,  whether  this  was  really  the  Templeton  he 
had  known  in  his  youth,  or  whether  he  was  in  his  own 
house  or  not. 

As  for  Aristabulus,  who  saw  nothing  out  of  rule,  or  con¬ 
trary  to  his  own  notions  of  propriety,  in  what  had  passed, 
he  hurried  off  to  tell  the  barber,  who  was  so  ignorant  of  the 
first  duty  of  his  trade,  that  he  was  at  liberty  to  pull  down 
Mr.  Effingham’s  fence,  in  order  to  manure  his  own  potato 

patch. 

Lest  the  reader  should  suppose  we  are  drawing  carica¬ 
tures,  instead  of  representing  an  actual  condition  of  society, 
it  may  be  necessary  to  explain  that  Mr.  Bragg  was  a  stand¬ 
ing  candidate  for  popular  favor  ;  that,  like  Mr.  Dodge,  he 
considered  everything  that  presented  itself  in  the  name  of 
the  public,  as  sacred  and  paramount,  and  that  so  general 
and  positive  was  his  deference  for  majorities,  that  it  was  the 
bias  of  his  mind  to  think  half  a  dozen  always  in  the  right, 


Ibome  as  jfounb  161 


as  opposed  to  one,  although  that  one,  agreeably  to  the  great 
decision  of  the  real  majority  of  the  entire  community,  had 
not  the  law  on  his  side,  but  all  the  abstract  merits  of  the 
disputed  question.  In  short,  to  such  a  pass  of  freedom  had 
Mr^_Bragg,  in  common  with  a  large  class  of  his  country¬ 
men,  carried  his  notions,  that  he  had  really  begun  to  imag¬ 
ine  liberty  was  all  means  and  no  end. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

“  In  sooth,  thou  wast  in  very  gracious  fooling  last  night,  when  thou 
apokest  of  Pigrogromotus,  of  the  Vapians  passing  the  equinoctial  of 
Queubus  ;  ’twas  very  good,  i’  faith.” 

Sir  Andrew  Ague-Cheek. 

r  T^VRE  progress  of  society,  it  has  just  been  said,  in  what 
I  is  termed  a  “  new  country,”  is  a  little  anomalous. 
At  the  commencement  of  a  settlement,  there  is 
much  of  that  sort  of  kind  feeling  and  mutual  in¬ 
terest  which  men  are  apt  to  manifest  towards  each  other 
when  they  are  embarked  in  an  enterprise  of  common  hazards. 
The  distance  that  is  unavoidably  inseparable  from  education, 
habits,  and  manners  is  lessened  by  mutual  wants  and  mutual 
efforts  ;  and  the  gentleman,  even  while  he  may  maintain 
his  character  and  station,  maintains  them  with  that  species 
of  good-fellowship  and  familiarity,  that  marks  the  inter¬ 
course  between  the  officer  and  the  soldier  in  an  arduous  cam¬ 
paign.  Men,  and  even  women,  break  bread  together,  and 
otherwise  commingle,  that,  in  different  circumstances,  would 
be  strangers  ;  the  hardy  adventures  and  rough  living  of 
the  forest  apparently  lowering  the  pretensions  of  the  man  of 
cultivation  and  mere  mental  resources,  to  something  very 
near  the  level  of  those  of  the  man  of  physical  energy  and 
manual  skill.  In  this  rude  intercourse,  the  parties  meet, 
as  it  might  be,  on  a  sort  of  neutral  ground,  one  yielding 
some  of  his  superiority,  and  the  other  laying  claims  to  an 
outward  show  of  equality,  that  he  secretly  knows,  however, 
is  the  result  of  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which  he  is 
,j  placed.  In  short,  the  state  of  society  is  favorable  to  the 
V  claims  of  mere  animal  force,  and  unfavorable  to  those  of  the 
higher  qualities. 


Ibotne  a s  fount) 


163 


This  period  may  be  termed,  perhaps,  the  happiest  of  the 
first  century  of  a  settlement.  The  great  cares  of  life  are  so 
engrossing  and  serious  that  small  vexations  are  overlooked, 
and  the  petty  grievances  that  would  make  us  seriously  un¬ 
comfortable  in  a  more  regular  state  of  society,  are  taken  as 
matters  of  course,  or  laughed  at  as  the  regular  and  expected 
incidents  of  the  day.  Good-will  abounds  ;  neighbor  comes 
cheerfully  to  the  aid  of  neighbor  ;  and  life  has  much  of  the 
reckless  gayety,  careless  association,  and  buoyant  merriment 
of  childhood.  It  is  found  that  they  who  have  passed  through 
this  probation,  usually  look  back  to  it  with  regret,  and  are 
fond  of  dwelling  on  the  rude  scenes  and  ridiculous  events  that 
distinguish  the  history  of  a  new  settlement,  as  the  hunter  is 
known  to  pine  for  the  forest. 


To  this  period  of  fun,  toil,  neighborly  feeling,  and  adven¬ 
ture,  succeeds  another,  in  which  society  begins  to  marshal 
itself,  and  the  ordinary  passions  have  sway.  Now  it  is  that 
we  see  the  struggles  for  place,  the  heart-burnings  and  jeal¬ 
ousies  of  contending  families,  and  the  influence  of  mere 
money.  Circumstances  have  probably  established  the  local 
superiority  of  a  few  beyond  all  question,  and  the  condition 
of  these  serves  as  a  goal  for  the  rest  to  aim  at.  The  learned 
professions,  the  ministry  included,  or  what  by  courtesy  are 
so  called,  take  precedence,  as  a  matter  of  course— next  to 


wealth,  however,  when  wealth  is  at  all  supported  by  appear¬ 
ances.  Then  commence  those  gradations  of  social  station 
that  set  institutions  at  defiance,  and  which  as  necessarily 
follow  civilization,  as  tastes  and  habits  are  a  consequence  of 
indulgence. 

This  is  perhaps  the  least  inviting  condition  of  society  that 
belongs  to  any  country  that  can  claim  to  be  free,  and  re¬ 
moved  from  barbarism.  The  tastes  are  too  uncultivated  to 
exercise  any  essential  influence,  and  when  they  do  exist,  it 
is. usually  with  the  pretension  and  effort  that  so  commonly 
accompany  infant  knowledge.  The  struggle  is  only  so  much 
the  more  severe,  in  consequence  of  the  late  pele-mele ,  while 
* men  laY  claim  to  a  consideration  that  would  seem  beyond 
their  reach  in  an  older  and  more  regulated  community.  It 
is  during  this  period  that  manners  suffer  the  most,  since 


164 


Ibonte  as  jfounft 


they  want  the  nature  and  feeling  of  the  first  condition,  while 
they  are  exposed  to  the  rudest  assaults  of  the  coarse-minded 
and  vulgar  ;  for,  as  men  usually  defer  to  a  superiority  that 
is  long  established,  there  being  a  charm  about  antiquity  that 
is  sometimes  able  to  repress  the  passions,  in  older  communi¬ 
ties  the  marshalling  of  time  quietly  regulates  what  is  here  the 
subject  of  strife. 

What  has  just  been  said  depends  on  a  general  and  natural 
principle,  perhaps  ;  but  the  state  of  society  we  are  describing 
has  some  features  peculiar  to  itself.  The  civilization  of 
America,  even  in  its  older  districts,  which  supply  the  emi¬ 
grants  to  the  newer  regions,  is  unequal ;  one  State  possessing 
a  higher  level  than  another.  Coming  as  it  does  from  differ¬ 
ent  parts  of  this  vast  country,  the  population  of  a  new  settle¬ 
ment,  while  it  is  singularly  homogeneous  for  the  circum¬ 
stances,  necessarily  brings  with  it  its  local  peculiarities.  If 
to  these  elements  be  added  a  sprinkling  of  Europeans  of  va¬ 
rious  nations  and  conditions,  the  effects  of  the  commingling, 
and  the  temporary  social  struggles  that  follow,  will  occasion 
no  surprise. 

The  third  and  last  condition  of  society  in  a  “  new  country,” 
is  that  in  which  the  influence  of  the  particular  causes  enumer¬ 
ated  ceases,  and  men  and  things  come  within  the  control  of 
more  general  and  regular  laws.  The  effect,  of  course,  is  to 
leave  the  community  in  possession  of  a  civilization  that  con¬ 
forms  to  that  of  the  whole  region,  be  it  higher  or  be  it  lower, 
and  with  the  division  into  castes  that  are  more  or  less  rigidly 
maintained,  according  to  circumstances. 

The  periods,  as  the  astronomers  call  the  time  taken  in  a 
celestial  revolution,  of  the  first  two  of  these  epochs  in  the 
history  of  a  settlement,  depend  very  much  on  its  advancement 
in  wealth  and  in  numbers.  In  some  places,  the  pastoral  age, 
or  that  of  good  fellowship,  continues  for  a  whole  life,  to  the 
obvious  retrogression  of  the  people  in  most  of  the  higher 
qualities,  but  to  their  manifest  advantage,  however,  in  the 
pleasures  of  the  time  being  ;  while,  in  others,  it  passes  away 
rapidly,  like  the  buoyant  animal  joys  that  live  their  time 
between  fourteen  and  twenty. 

The  second  period  is  usually  of  longer  duration,  the  mi- 


f)ome  as  ffounfc 


165 

gratory  habits  of  the  American  people  keeping  society  more 
unsettled  than  might  otherwise  prove  to  be  the  case.  It  may 
be  said  never  to  cease  entirely,  until  the  great  majority  of  the 
living  generation  are  natives  of  the  region,  knowing  no  other 
means  of  comparison  than  those  under  which  they  have  passed 
their  days.  Even  when  this  is  the  case,  there  is  commonly 
so  large  an  infusion  of  the  birds  of  passage,  men  who  are 
adventurers  in  quest  of  advancement,  and  who  live  without 
the  charities  of  a  neighborhood,  as  they  may  be  said  almost  to 
live  without  a  home,  that  there  is  to  be  found  for  a  long 
time  a  middle  state  of  society,  during  which  it  may  well  be 
questioned  whether  a  community  belongs  to  the  second  or  to 
the  third  of  the  periods  named. 

Templeton  was  properly  in  this  equivocal  condition,  for 
while  the  third  generation  of  the  old  settlers  were  in  active 
life,  so  many  passers-by  came  and  w7ent,  that  the  influence 
of  the  latter  nearly  neutralized  that  of  time  and  the  natural 
order  of  things.  Its  population  were  pretty  equally  divided 
between  the  descendants  of  the  earlier  inhabitants  and  those 
who  flitted  like  swallows  and  other  migratory  birds.  All 
of  those  who  had  originally  entered  the  region  in  the  pride 
of  manhood,  and  had  been  active  in  converting  the  wilder¬ 
ness  into  the  abodes  of  civilized  men,  if  they  had  not  been 
literally  gathered  to  their  fathers,  in  a  physical  sense,  had 
been  laid,  the  first  of  their  several  races,  beneath  those  sods 
that  were  to  cover  the  heads  of  so  many  of  their  descendants. 
A  few  still  remained  among  those  who  entered  the  wilder¬ 
ness  in  young  manhood,  but  the  events  of  the  first  period  we 
have  designated,  and  which  we  have  imperfectly  recorded  in 
another  work,  were  already  passing  into  tradition.  Among 
these  original  settlers  some  portion  of  the  feeling  that  had 
distinguished  their  earliest  communion  with  their  neighbors 
yet  continued,  and  one  of  their  greatest  delights  was  to  talk 
of  the  hardships  and  privations  of  their  younger  days,  as  the 
veteran  loves  to  discourse  of  his  marches,  battles,  scars,  and 
sieges.  It  would  be  too  much  to  say  that  these  persons 
viewed  the  more  ephemeral  part  of  the  population  with  dis¬ 
trust,  for  their  familiarity  with  changes  accustomed  them  to 
new  faces  ;  but  they  had  a  secret  inclination  for  each  other, 


ibonte  as  jFounfc 


166 


preferred  those  who  could  enter  the  most  sincerely  into  their 
own  feelings,  and  naturally  loved  that  communion  best 
where  they  found  the  most  sympathy.  To  this  fragment  of 
the  community  belonged  nearly  all  there  was  to  be  found 
of  that  sort  of  sentiment  which  is  connected  with  locality, 
adventure,  with  them,  supplying  the  place  of  time  ;  while 
the  natives  of  the  spot,  wanting  in  the  recollections  that  had 
so  many  charms  for  their  fathers,  were  not  yet  brought  suffi¬ 
ciently  within  the  influence  of  traditionary  interest,  to  feel 
that  hallowed  sentiment  in  its  proper  force.  As  opposed  in 
feeling  to  these  relics  of  the  olden  time  were  the  birds  of  pas¬ 
sage  so  often  named,  a  numerous  and  restless  class,  that  of 
themselves  are  almost  sufficient  to  destroy  whatever  there  is 
of  poetry  or  of  local  attachment  in  any  region  where  they 
resort. 

In  Templeton  and  its  adjacent  district,  however,  the  two 
hostile  influences  might  be  said  to  be  nearly  equal,  the 
descendants  of  the  fathers  of  the  country  beginning  to  make 
a  manly  stand  against  the  looser  sentiment,  or  the  want  of 
sentiment,  that  so  singularly  distinguishes  the  migratory 
bands.  The  first  did  begin  to  consider  the  temple  in  which 
their  fathers  had  worshipped  more  hallowed  than  strange 
altars ;  the  sods  that  covered  their  fathers’  heads,  more 
sacred  than  the  clods  that  were  upturned  by  the  plough ; 
and  the  places  of  their  childhood  and  childish  sports  dearer 
than  the  highway  trodden  by  a  nameless  multitude. 

Such,  then,  were  the  elements  of  the  society  into  which  we 
have  now  ushered  the  reader,  and  with  which  it  will  be  our 
duty  to  make  him  better  acquainted,  as  we  proceed  in  the 
regular  narration  of  the  incidents  of  our  tale. 

The  return  of  the  Effinghams,  after  so  long  an  absence, 
naturally  produced  a  sensation  in  so  small  a  place,  and 
visitors  began  to  appear  in  the  Wigwam  as  soon  as  pro¬ 
priety  would  allow.  Many  false  rumors  prevailed,  quite 
as  a  matter  of  course  ;  and  Eve,  it  was  reported,  was  on 
the  point  of  being  married  to  no  less  than  three  of  the  in¬ 
mates  of  her  father’s  house,  within  the  first  ten  days,  namely, 
Sir  George  Templernore,  Mr.  Powis,  and  Mr.  Bragg  ;  the 
latter  story  taking  its  rise  in  some  precocious  hopes  that  had 


Iborne  as  jfounfc 


167 


escaped  the  gentleman  himself,  in  the  “  excitement”  of  help¬ 
ing  to  empty  a  bottle  of  bad  Breton  wine,  that  was  digni¬ 
fied  with  the  name  of  champagne.  But  these  tales  revived 
and  died  so  often,  in  a  state  of  society  in  which  matrimony 
is  so  general  a  topic  with  the  young  of  the  gentler  sex,  that 
they  brought  with  them  their  own  refutation. 

The  third  day,  in  particular,  after  the  arrival  of  our  party, 
was  a  reception  day  at  the  Wigwam ;  the  gentlemen  and 
ladies  making  it  a  point  to  be  at  home  and  disengaged,  after 
twelve  o’clock,  in  order  to  do  honor  to  their  guests.  One 
of  the  first  who  made  his  appearance  was  a  Mr.  Howel,  a 
bachelor  of  about  the  same  age  as  Mr.  Kffingham,  and  a 
man  of  easy  fortune  and  quiet  habits.  Nature  had  done 
more  towards  making  Mr.  Howel  a  gentleman,  than  either 
cultivation  or  association  ;  for  he  had  passed  his  entire  life, 
with  very  immaterial  exceptions,  in  the  valley  of  Temple¬ 
ton,  where,  without  being  what  could  be  called  a  student 
or  a  scholar,  he  had  dreamed  away  his  existence  in  an  indo¬ 
lent  communication  with  the  current  literature  of  the  day. 
He  was  fond  of  reading,  and  being  indisposed  to  contention 
or  activity  of  any  sort,  his  mind  had  admitted  the  impres¬ 
sions  of  what  he  perused,  as  the  stone  receives  a  new  form 
by  the  constant  fall  of  drops  of  water.  Unfortunately  for 
Mr.  Howel,  he  understood  no  language  but  his  mother 
tongue  ;  and,  as  all  his  reading  was  necessarily  confined  to 
English  books,  he  had  gradually  and  unknown  to  himself, 
in  his  moral  nature  at  least,  got  to  be  a  mere  reflection  of 
those  opinions,  prejudices,  and  principles,  if  such  a  word  can 
properly  be  used  for  such  a  state  of  the  mind,  that  it  had 
suited  the  interests  or  passions  of  England  to  promulgate  by 
means  of  the  press.  A  perfect  bonne  foi  prevailed  in  all  his 
notions  ;  and  though  a  very  modest  man  by  nature,  so  very 
certain  was  he  that  his  authority  was  always  right,  that 
he  was  a  little  apt  to  be  dogmatical  on  such  points  as  he 
thought  his  authors  appeared  to  think  settled.  Between 
John  Effingham  and  Mr.  Howel,  there  were  constant  amica¬ 
ble  skirmishes  in  the  way  of  discussion  ;  for,  while  the  latter 
was  so  dependent,  limited  in  knowledge  by  unavoidable  cir¬ 
cumstances,  and  disposed  to  an  innocent  credulity,  the  first 


i68 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


was  original  in  his  views,  accustomed  to  see  and  think  for 
himself,  and,  moreover,  a  little  apt  to  estimate  his  own 
advantages  at  their  full  value. 

“  Here  comes  our  good  neighbor,  and  my  old  schoolfel¬ 
low,  Tom  Howel,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  looking  out  at  a 
window,  and  perceiving  the  person  mentioned  crossing  the 
little  lawn  in  front  of  the  house,  by  following  a  winding 
footpath  ;  “  as  kind-hearted  a  man,  Sir  George  Temple- 
more,  as  exists  ;  one  who  is  really  American,  for  he  has 
scarcely  quitted  the  country  half  a  dozen  times  in  his  life, 
and  one  of  the  honestest  fellows  of  my  acquaintance.  ’  ’ 

“  Ay,”  put  in  John  Effingham,  “  as  real  an  American  as 
any  man  can  be,  who  uses  English  spectacles  for  all  he 
looks  at,  English  opinions  for  all  he  says,  English  prejudices 
for  all  he  condemns,  and  an  English  palate  for  all  he  tastes. 
American,  quotha  !  The  man  is  no  more  American  than 
the  ‘  Times  ’  newspaper,  or  Charing  Cross  !  He  actually 
made  a  journey  to  New  York,  last  war,  to  satisfy  himself 
with  his  own  eyes  that  a  Yankee  frigate  had  realty  brought 
an  Englishman  into  port.” 

“  His  English  predilections  will  be  no  fault  in  my  eyes,” 
said  the  baronet,  smiling,  “and  I  dare  say  we  shall  be  ex¬ 
cellent  friends.  ’  ’ 

“  I  am  sure  Mr.  Howel  is  a  very  agreeable  man,”  added 
Grace  ;  “of  all  in  your  Templeton  coterie,  he  is  my  greatest 
favorite.” 

“  Oh  !  I  foresee  a  tender  intimacy  between  Templemore 
and  Howel,”  rejoined  John  Effingham  ;  “  and  sundry  wordy 
wars  between  the  latter  and  Miss  Effingham.” 

“In  this  you  dome  injustice,  cousin  Jack.  I  remember 
Mr.  Howel  well,  and  kindly  ;  for  he  was  ever  wont  to  in¬ 
dulge  my  childish  whims  when  a  girl.” 

“  The  man  is  a  second  Burchell,  and,  I  daresay,  never 
came  to  the  Wigwam  when  you  were  a  child,  without  hav¬ 
ing  his  pockets  stuffed  with  cakes  or  bonbons.” 

The  meeting  was  cordial,  Mr.  Howel  greeting  the  gentle¬ 
men  like  a  warm  friend,  and  expressing  great  delight  at  the 
personal  improvements  that  had  been  made  in  Eve  between 
the  ages  of  eight  and  twenty.  John  Effingham  was  no  more 


Ibonte  as  jfounO 


169 


backward  than  the  others,  for  he,  too,  liked  their  simple- 
minded,  kind-hearted,  but  credulous  neighbor. 

“  You  are  welcome  back — you  are  welcome  back,”  added 
Mr.  Howel,  blowing  his  nose,  in  order  to  conceal  the  tears 
that  were  gathering  in  his  eyes.  ‘  ‘  I  did  think  of  going  to 
New  York  to  meet  you,  but  the  distance  at  my  time  of  life 
is  very  serious.  Age,  gentlemen,  seems  to  be  a  stranger  to 
you.” 

And  yet  we,  who  are  both  a  few  months  older  than  your¬ 
self,  Howel,”  returned  Mr.  Effingham,  kindly,  “have  man¬ 
aged  to  overcome  the  distance  you  have  just  mentioned,  in 
order  to  come  and  see  you  !  ’  ’ 

“Ay,  you  are  great  travellers,  gentlemen,  very  great 
travellers,  and  are  accustomed  to  motion.  Been  quite  as 
far  as  Jerusalem,  I  hear  !  ” 

“  Into  its  very  gates,  my  good  friend  ;  and  I  wish,  with 
all  my  heart,  we  had  had  you  in  our  company.  Such  a 
journey  might  cure  you  of  the  home  malady.” 

“Iam  a  fixture,  and  never  expect  to  look  upon  the  ocean 
now.  I  did,  at  one  period  of  my  life,  fancy  such  an  event 
might  happen,  but  I  have  finally  abandoned  all  hope  on  that 
subject.  Well,  Miss  Eve,  of  all  the  countries  in  which  you 
have  dwelt,  to  which  do  you  give  the  preference  ?  ’  ’ 

“I  think  Italy  is  the  general  favorite,”  Eve  answered, 
with  a  friendly  smile  ;  ‘  ‘  although  there  are  some  agreeable 
things  peculiar  to  almost  every  country.” 

“  Italy  !  Well,  that  astonishes  me  a  good  deal  !  I  never 
knew  there  was  anything  particularly  interesting  about 
Italy  !  I  should  have  expected  you  to  say,  England.” 

England  is  a  fine  country,  too,  certainly  ;  but  it  wants 
many  things  that  Italy  enjoys.” 

“Well,  now,  what?  ”  said  Mr.  Howel,  shifting  his  legs 
from  one  knee  to  the  other,  in  order  to  be  more  convenient 
to  listen,  or,  if  necessary,  to  object.  “What  can  Italy  pos¬ 
sess,  that  England  does  not  enjoy  in  a  still  greater  degree  ?  ” 

“Its  recollections,  for  one  thing,  and  all  that  interest 
which  time  and  great  events  throw  around  a  region.” 

“  And  is  England  wanting  in  recollections  and  great 
events?  Are  there  not  the  Conqueror?  or  if  you  will, 


Ifoome  as  jfounb 


170 


King  Alfred,  and  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  Shakespeare— 
think  of  Shakespeare,  young  lady— and  Sir  Walter  Scott, 
and  the  Gunpowder  Plot ;  and  Cromwell,  Oliver  CromwglL 
my  dear  Miss  Eve  ;  and  Westminster  Abbey,  and  Eondon 
Bridge,  and  George  the  descendant  of  a  line  of  real 
kings, — what  in  the  name  of  Heaven  can  Italy  possess  to 
equal  the  interest  one  feels  in  such  things  as  these  ?  ” 

“  They  are  very  interesting,  no  doubt,”  said  Eve,  endeav¬ 
oring  not  to  smile,  “but  Italy  has  its  relics  of  former  ages 
too  ;  you  forget  the  Caesars.” 

“Very  good  sort  of  persons  for  barbarous  times,  I  dare 
say,  but  what  can  they  be  to  the  English  monarchs  ?  I 
would  rather  look  upon  a  bond,  fide  English  king,  than  see 
all  the  Caesars  that  ever  lived.  I  never  can  think  any  man 
a  real  king  but  the  king  of  England.” 

“  Not  King  Solomon  !  ”  cried  John  Effingham. 

Oh  !  he  was  a  Bible  king,  and  one  never  thinks  of 
them.  Italy  !  well,  this  I  did  not  expect  from  your  father’s 
daughter !  Your  great-great-great-grandfather  must  have 
been  an  Englishman  born,  Mr. Effingham?  ” 

“  I  have  reason  to  think  he  was,  sir.” 

“And  Milton,  and  Dry  den,  and  Newton,  and  Eocke  ! 
These  are  prodigious  names,  and  worth  all  the  Caesars  put 
together.  A  Pope,  too  ;  what  have  they  got  in  Italy  to 
compare  to  Pope  ?  ’  ’ 

“  They  have  at  least  the  Pope,”  said  Eve,  laughing. 

‘ ‘  And  then  there  are  the  Boar’s  Head  in  East  Cheap  ; 
and  the  Tower  ;  and  Queen  Anne,  and  all  the  wits  of  her 
reign  ;  and — and — and  Titus  Oates  ;  and  Bosworth  Field  ; 
and  Smithfield  where  the  martyrs  were  burned,  and  a  thou¬ 
sand  more  spots  and  persons  of  intense  interest  in  Old 
England  !  ’  ’ 

“  Quite  true,”  .said  John  Effingham,  with  an  air  of  sympa¬ 
thy,  “but,  Howel,  you  have  forgotten  Peeping  Tom  of 
Coventry,  and  the  climate  !  ” 

“And  Holyrood  House,  and  York  Minster,  and  St. 
Paul’s,”  continued  the  worthy  Mr.  Howel,  too  much  bent 
on  a  catalogue  of  excellences  that  to  him  were  sacred,  to 
heed  the  interruption,  “  and  above  all,  Windsor  Castle. 


Ibome  as  found 


171 


What  is  there  in  the  world  to  equal  Windsor  Castle  as  a 
royal  residence  ?  ’  ’ 

Want  of  breath  now  gave  Eve  an  opportunity  to  reply, 
and  she  seized  it  with  an  eagerness  that  she  was  the  first  to 
laugh  at,  herself,  afterwards. 

Caserta  is  no  mean  house,  Mr.  Howel  ;  and  in  my  poor 
judgment,  there  is  more  real  magnificence  in  its  great  stair¬ 
case  than  in  all  Windsor  Castle  united,  if  you  except  the 
chapel.” 

“But  St.  Paul’s.” 

“  Why,  St.  Peter’s  may  be  set  down  quite  fairly,  I  think, 
for  its  pendant  at  least.” 

“True,  the  Catholics  do  say  so,”  returned  Mr.  Howel, 
with  the  deliberation  one  uses  when  he  greatly  distrusts  his 
own  concession  ;  ‘  ‘  but  I  have  always  considered  it  one  of 
their  frauds.  I  don’t  think  there  can  be  anything  finer  than 
St.  Paul’s.  Then  there  are  the  noble  ruins  of  England  ! 
They,  you  must  admit,  are  unrivalled.  ’  ’ 

“The  Temple  of  Neptune,  at  Psestum,  is  commonly 
thought  an  interesting  ruin,  Mr.  Howel.” 

“Yes,  yes,  for  a  temple,  I  dare  say ;  though  I  do  not  re¬ 
member  to  have  ever  heard  of  it  before.  But  no  temple 
can  ever  compare  to  a  ruined  abbey.” 

“Taste  is  an  arbitrary  thing,  Tom  Howel,  as  you  and  I 
know,  when,  as  boys,  we  quarrelled  about  the  beauty  of  our 
ponies,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  willing  to  put  an  end  to  a  dis¬ 
cussion  that  he  thought  a  little  premature  after  so  long  an 
absence.  ‘  ‘  Here  are  two  young  friends  who  shared  the 
hazards  of  our  late  passage  with  us,  and  to  whom  in  a  great 
degree  we  owe  our  present  happy  security,  and  I  am  anxious 
to  make  you  acquainted  with  them.  This  is  our  country¬ 
man,  Mr.  Powis,  and  this  is  an  English  friend,  who  I  am 
certain  will  be  happy  to  know  so  warm  an  admirer  of  his 
own  country — Sir  George  Templemore.” 

Mr.  Howel  had  never  before  seen  a  titled  Englishman,  and 
he  was  taken  so  much  by  surprise  that  he  made  his  salu¬ 
tations  rather  awkwardly.  As  both  the  young  men,  how¬ 
ever,  met  him  with  the  respectful  ease  that  denotes  familiarity 
with  the  world,  he  soon  recovered  his  self-possession. 


172 


Ibome  as  foxxnb 


‘  ‘  I  hope  you  have  brought  back  with  you  a  sound  Amer¬ 
ican  heart,  Miss  Eve,”  resumed  the  guest,  as  soon  as  this 
little  interruption  had  ceased.  “  We  have  had  sundry 
rumors  of  French  marquises  and  German  barons  ;  but  I 
have  all  along  trusted  too  much  to  your  patriotism  to  believe 
you  would  marry  a  foreigner.” 

“I  hope  you  except  Englishmen,”  cried  Sir  George, 
gayly  ;  “  we  are  almost  the  same  people.” 

“  I  am  proud  to  hear  you  say  so,  sir.  Nothing  flatters 
me  more  than  to  be  thought  English  ;  and  I  certainly  should 
not  have  accused  Miss  Effingham  of  a  want  of  love  of  coun¬ 
try,  had — ” 

“She  married  half  a  dozen  Englishmen,”  interrupted 
John  Effingham,  who  saw  that  the  old  theme  was  in  danger 
of  being  revived.  “  But,  Howel,  you  have  paid  me  no  com¬ 
pliments  on  the  changes  in  the  house.  I  hope  they  are  to 
your  taste  ?  ’  ’ 

“  A  little  too  French,  Mr.  John.” 

“French!  There  is  not  a  French  feature  in  the  whole 
animal.  What  has  put  such  a  notion  into  your  head  ?  ” 

“It  is  the  common  opinion,  and  I  confess  I  should  like 
the  building  better  were  it  less  continental.” 

‘  ‘  Why,  my  old  friend,  it  is  a  nondescript-original — Effing¬ 
ham  upon  Doolittle,  if  you  will  ;  and,  as  for  models,  it  is 
rather  more  English  than  anything  else.” 

“  Well,  Mr.  John,  I  am  glad  to  hear  this,  for  I  do  confess 
to  a  disposition  rather  to  like  the  house.  I  am  dying  to 
know,  Miss  Eve,  if  you  saw  all  our  distinguished  contempo¬ 
raries  when  in  Europe  ?  That  to  me  would  be  one  of  the 
greatest  delights  of  travelling  !  ’  ’ 

“  To  say  that  we  saw  them  all,  might  be  too  much  ;  though 
we  certainly  did  meet  with  many.” 

“Scott,  of  course.” 

“  Sir  Walter  we  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  a  few  times 
in  Eon don.” 

“And  Southey,  and  Coleridge,  and  Wordsworth,  and 
Moore,  and  Bulwer,  and  D’lsraeli,  and  Rogers,  and  Camp¬ 
bell,  and  the  grave  of  Byron,  and  Horace  Smith,  and  Miss 
Eandon,  and  Barry  Cornwall,  and — ” 


Ibome  as  fonno 


173 


“  Cum  multis  aliis, ’ ’  put  in  John  Effingham,  again,  by 
way  of  arresting  the  torrent  of  names.  ‘  ‘  Eve  saw  many  of 
these,  and,  as  Tubal  told  Sliylock,  ‘  we  often  came  where 
we  did  hear’  of  the  rest.  But  you  say  nothing,  friend  Tom, 
of  Goethe,  and  Tieck,  and  Schlegel,  and  Eamartine,  Chateau¬ 
briand,  Hugo,  Delavigne,  Mickiewicz,  Nota,  Manzoni,  Nic- 
colini,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.” 

Honest,  well-meaning  Mr.  Howel  listened  to  the  cata¬ 
logue  that  the  other  ran  volubly  over,  in  silent  wonder  ;  for, 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  of  these  distinguished  men, 
he  had  never  heard  of  them  ;  and,  in  the  simplicity  of  his 
heart,  unconsciously  to  himself,  he  had  got  to  believe  that 
there  was  no  great  personage  still  living,  of  whom  he  did 
not  know  something. 

“  Ah,  here  comes  young  Wenham,  by  way  of  preserving 
the  equilibrium,”  resumed  John  Effingham,  looking  out  of 
a  window  ;  “I  rather  think  you  must  have  forgotten  him, 
Ned,  though  you  remember  his  father,  beyond  question.” 

Mr.  Effingham  and  his  cousin  went  out  into  the  hall  to 
receive  the  new  guest,  with  whom  the  latter  had  become 
acquainted  while  superintending  the  repairs  of  the  Wigwam. 

Mr.  Wenham  was  the  son  of  a  successful  lawyer  in  the 
county,  and,  being  an  only  child,  he  had  also  succeeded  to 
an  easy  independence.  His  age,  however,  brought  him 
rather  into  the  generation  to  which  Eve  belonged,  than  into 
that  of  the  father  ;  and,  if  Mr.  Howel  was  a  reflection,  or 
rather  a  continuation,  of  all  the  provincial  notions  that 
America  entertained  of  England  forty  years  ago,  Mr.  Wen¬ 
ham  might  almost  be  said  to  belong  to  the  opposite  school, 
and  to  be  as  ultra-American  as  his  neighbor  was  ultra- 
British.  If  there  is  la  jeune  France ,  there  is  also  la  jeune 
Amtrique ,  although  the  votaries  of  the  latter  march  with 
less  hardy  steps  than  the  votaries  of  the  first.  Mr.  Wenham 
fancied  himself  a  paragon  of  national  independence,  and  was 
constantly  talking  of  American  excellences,  though  the 
ancient  impressions  still  lingered  in  his  moral  system,  as 
men  look  askance  for  the  ghosts  which  frightened  their 
childhood  on  crossing  a  churchyard  in  the  dark.  John 
Effingham  knew  the  penchant  of  the  young  man,  and  when 


174 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


he  said  that  he  came  happily  to  preserve  the  equilibrium,  he 
alluded  to  this  striking  difference  in  the  characters  of  their 
two  friends. 

The  introductions  and  salutations  over,  we  shall  resume 
the  conversation  that  succeeded  in  the  drawing-room. 

“  You  must  be  much  gratified,  Miss  Effingham,”  observed 
Mr.  Wenharn,  who,  like  a  true  American,  being  a  young 
man  himself,  supposed  it  de  rigueur  to  address  a  young 
lady  in  preference  to  any  other  present,  “with  the 
great  progress  made  by  our  country  since  you  went 
abroad.” 

Eve  simply  answered  that  her  extreme  youth,  when  she 
left  home,  had  prevented  her  from  retaining  any  precise  no¬ 
tions  on  such  subjects. 

“  I  dare  say  it  is  all  very  true,”  she  added,  “  but  one  like 
myself,  who  remembers  only  older  countries,  is,  I  think,  a 
little  more  apt  to  be  struck  with  the  deficiencies  than  with 
what  may,  in  truth,  be  improvements,  though  they  still  fall 
short  of  excellence.” 

Mr.  Wenharn  looked  vexed,  or  indignant  would  be  a  better 
word,  but  he  succeeded  in  preserving  his  coolness — a  thing 
that  is  not  always  easy  to  one  of  provincial  habits  and  pro¬ 
vincial  education,  when  he  finds  his  own  beau-idtal  lightly 
estimated  by  others. 

“  Miss  Effingham  must  discover  a  thousand  imperfec¬ 
tions,”  said  Mr.  Howel,  “  coming,  as  she  does,  directly  from 
England.  That  music,  now,” — alluding  to  the  sounds  of  a 
flute  that  were  heard  through  the  open  windows,  coming 
from  the  adjacent  village, — “  must  be  rude  enough  to  her 
ear,  after  the  music  of  London.” 

‘  ‘  The  street  music  of  London  is  certainly  among  the  best, 
if  not  the  very  best,  in  Europe,”  returned  Eve,  with  a  glance 
of  the  eye  at  the  baronet,  that  caused  him  to  smile,  “  and  I 
think  this  fairly  belongs  to  the  class,  being  so  freely  given 
to  the  neighborhood.” 

“Have  you  read  the  articles  signed  ‘  Minerva  ’  in  the 
‘Hebdomad,’  Miss  Effingham  ?  ”  inquired  Mr.  Wenharn, 
who  was  determined  to  try  the  3^oung  lady  on  a  point  of 
sentiment,  having  succeeded  so  ill  in  his  first  attempt  to  in- 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


175 


terest  her;  “  they  are  generally  thought  to  be  a  great  ac¬ 
quisition  to  American  literature.” 

‘‘Well,  Wenham,  you  are  a  fortunate  man,”  interposed 
Mr.  Howel,  “  if  you  can  find  any  literature  in  America  to 
add  to  or  subtract  from.  Beyond  almanacs,  reports  of  cases 
badly  got  up,  and  newspaper  verses,  I  know  nothing  that 
deserves  such  a  name.” 

“  We  may  not  print  on  as  fine  paper,  Mr.  Howel,  or  do  up 
the  books  in  as  handsome  binding  as  other  people,”  said 
Mr.  Wenham,  bridling  and  looking  grave,  ‘‘but  so  far  as 
sentiments  are  concerned,  or  sound  sense,  American  literature 
need  turn  its  back  on  no  literature  of  the  day.” 

‘‘By  the  way,  Mr.  Effingham,  you  were  in  Russia;  did 
you  happen  to  see  the  Emperor  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  had  that  pleasure,  Mr.  Howel.” 

‘  ‘  And  is  he  really  the  monster  we  have  been  taught  to 
believe  him  ?  ’  ’ 

‘‘Monster!”  exclaimed  the  upright  Mr.  Effingham, 
fairly  recoiling  a  step  in  surprise.  “  In  what  sense  a  mon¬ 
ster,  my  worthy  friend  ?  Surely  not  in  a  physical  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  I  do  not  know  that.  I  have  somehow  got  the  notion  he 
is  anything  but  handsome.  A  mean,  butchering,  bloody- 
minded  looking  little  chap,  I  ’ll  engage.” 

‘‘You  are  libelling  one  of  the  finest-looking  men  of  the 
age.” 

“  I  think  I  would  submit  it  to  a  jury.  I  cannot  believe, 
after  what  I  have  read  of  him  in  the  English  publications, 
that  he  is  so  very  handsome.” 

“  But,  my  good  neighbor,  these  English  publications  must 
be  wrong  ;  prejudiced,  perhaps,  or  even  malignant.” 

Oh  !  I  am  not  the  man  to  be  imposed  on  in  that  wTay. 
Besides,  what  motive  could  an  English  writer  have  for  be¬ 
lying  an  Emperor  of  Russia  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Sure  enough,  what  motive  !  ”  exclaimed  John  Effingham. 
“  You  have  your  answer,  Ned  !  ” 

‘‘But  you  will  remember,  Mr.  Howel,”  Eve  interposed, 
“  that  we  have  seen  the  Emperor  Nicholas.” 

‘  ‘  I  dare  say,  Miss  Eve,  that  your  gentle  nature  was  dis¬ 
posed  to  judge  him  as  kindly  as  possible  ;  and  then,  I  think 


17  6 


1l3ome  as  jfounb 


most  Americans,  ever  since  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  have  been 
disposed  to  view  all  Russians  too  favorably.  No,  no  ;  I  am 
satisfied  with  the  account  of  the  English  ;  they  live  much 
nearer  to  St.  Petersburgh  than  we  do,  and  they  are  more 
accustomed,  too,  to  give  accounts  of  such  matters.” 

“But  living  nearer,  Tom  Howel,”  cried  Mr.  Effingham, 
with  unusual  animation,  “in  such  a  case,  is  of  no  avail, 
unless  one  lives  near  enough  to  see  with  his  own  eyes.” 

“  Well — well — my  good  friend,  we  will  talk  of  this  another 
time.  I  know  your  disposition  to  look  at  eve^body  with 
lenient  eyes.  I  will  now  wish  you  all  a  good  morning,  and 
hope  soon  to  see  you  again.  Miss  Eve,  I  have  one  word  to 
say,  if  you  dare  trust  yourself  with  a  youth  of  fifty  for  a 
minute  in  the  library.” 

Eve  rose  cheerfully,  and  led  the  way  to  the  room  her 
father’s  visitor  had  named.  When  within  it,  Mr.  Howel  shut 
the  door  carefully,  and  then  with  a  sort  of  eager  delight,  he 
exclaimed, — 

“  For  Heaven’s  sake,  my  dear  young  lady,  tell  me  who  are 
these  two  strange  gentlemen  in  the  other  room.” 

‘  ‘  Precisely  the  persons  my  father  mentioned,  Mr.  Howel  ; 
Mr.  Paul  Powis,  and  Sir  George  Templemore.” 

“  Englishmen,  of  course  !  ” 

‘  ‘  Sir  George  Templemore  is,  of  course,  as  you  say,  but  we 
may  boast  of  Mr.  Powis  as  a  countryman.” 

‘  ‘  Sir  George  Templemore  !  What  a  superb-looking  young 
fellow  !  ’  ’ 

“  Why,  yes,”  returned  Eve,  laughing  ;  “  he,  at  least,  you 
will  admit  is  a  handsome  man.” 

“  He  is  wonderful  !  The  other,  Mr. — a-a-a — I  forget  what 
you  called  him — he  is  pretty  well,  too  ;  but  this  Sir  George  is 
a  princely  youth.” 

“  I  rather  think  a  majority  of  observers  would  give  the 
preference  to  the  appearance  of  Mr.  Powis,”  said  Eve,  strug¬ 
gling  to  be  steady,  but  permitting  a  blush  to  heighten  her 
color,  in  despite  of  the  effort. 

“  What  could  have  induced  him  to  come  up  among  these 
mountains — an  English  baronet  !  ”  resumed  Mr.  Howel, 
without  thinking  of  Plve’s  confession.  “  Is  he  a  real  lord  ?  ” 


Tbome  as  ffounD 


177 


“Only  a  little  one,  Mr.  Howel.  You  heard  what  my 
father  said  of  our  having  been  fellow-travellers.” 

But  what  does  he  think  of  us  ?  I  ain  dying  to  know 
what  such  a  man  really  thinks  of  us.” 

It  is  not  always  easy  to  discover  what  such  men  really 
think  ;  although  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  he  is  disposed 
to  think  rather  favorably  of  some  of  us.” 

“  aY>  of  you,  and  your  father,  and  Mr.  John.  You  have 
travelled,  and  are  more  than  half  European  ;  but  what  can 
he  think  of  those  who  have  never  left  America  ?  ’  ’ 

“Even  of  some  of  those,”  returned  Eve,  smiling,  “I  sus¬ 
pect  he  thinks  partially.” 

“Well,  I  am  glad  of  that.  Do  you  happen  to  know  his 
opinion  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas  ?  ” 

“  Indeed,  I  do  not  remember  to  have  heard  him  mention 

the  Emperor  s  name  j  nor  do  I  think  he  has  ever  seen 
him.” 

“  That  is  extraordinary  !  Such  a  man  should  have  seen 
everything,  and  know  everything ;  but  I  ’ll  engage,  at  the 
bottom,  he  does  know  all  about  him.  If  you  happen  to 
have  any  old  English  newspapers,  as  wrappers,  or  by  any 
other  accident,  let  me  beg  them  of  you.  I  care  not  how  old 
they  are.  An  English  journal  fifty  years  old,  is  more  inter¬ 
esting  than  one  of  ours  wet  from  the  press.” 

Eve  promised  to  send  him  a  package,  when  they  shook 
hands  and  parted.  As  she  was  crossing  the  hall,  to  rejoin 
the  party,  John  Effingham  stopped  her. 

“  Has  Howel  made  proposals  ?  ”  the  gentleman  inquired, 
in  an  affected  whisper. 

“  None,  cousin  Jack,  beyond  an  offer  to  read  the  old 
English  newspapers  I  can  send  him.  ’  ’ 

“  Yes»  yes,  Tom  Howel  will  swallow  all  the  nonsense  that 
is  timbre  h  Londres.  ” 

“  I  confess  a  good  deal  of  surprise  at  finding  a  respecta¬ 
ble  and  intelligent  man  so  weak-minded  as  to  give  credit  to 
such  authorities,  or  to  form  his  serious  opinions  on  informa¬ 
tion  derived  from  such  sources.” 

You  may  be  surprised,  Eve,  at  hearing  so  frank  avowals 
weakness ;  but,  as  for  the  weakness  itself,  you  are 


178 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


now  in  a  country  for  which  England  does  all  the  thinking, 
except  on  subjects  that  touch  the  current  interests  of  the 

day.” 

“  Nay,  I  will  not  believe  this  !  If  it  were  true,  how  came 
we  independent  of  her — where  did  we  get  spirit  to  war 
against  her  ?  ’  ’ 

“  The  man  who  has  attained  his  majority  is  independent 
of  his  father’s  legal  control,  without  bein^  independent  of 
the  lessons  he  was  taught  when  a  child.  The  soldier  some¬ 
times  mutinies,  and  after  the  contest  is  over,  he  is  usually 
the  most  submissive  man  of  the  regiment.” 

All  this  to  me  is  very  astonishing  !  I  confess  that  a 
great  deal  has  struck  me  unpleasantly  in  this  way,  since  our 
return,  especially  in  ordinary  society  ;  but  I  never  could 
have  supposed  it  had  reached  to  the  pass  in  which  I  see  it 
existing  in  our  good  neighbor  Howel.” 

“You  have  witnessed  one  of  the  effects,  in  a  matter  of 
no  great  moment  to  ourselves ;  but,  as  time  and  j^ears 
afford  the  means  of  observation  and  comparison,  you  will 
perceive  the  effects  in  matters  of  the  last  moment,  in  a 
national  point  of  view.  It  is  in  human  nature  to  undervalue 
the  things  with  which  we  are  familiar,  and  to  form  false 
estimates  of  those  which  are  remote,  either  by  time  or  by 
distance.  But,  go  into  the  drawing-room,  and  in  young 
Wenham  you  will  find  one  who  fancies  himself  a  votary  of 
anew  school,  although  his  prejudices  and  mental  depend¬ 
ence  are  scarcely  less  obvious  than  those  of  poor  Tom 
Howel.” 

The  arrival  of  more  company,  among  whom  were  several 
ladies,  compelled  Eve  to  defer  an  examination  of  Mr. 
Wenham’ s  peculiarities  to  another  opportunity.  She  found 
many  of  her  own  sex  whom  she  had  left  children,  grown 
into  womanhood,  and  not  a  few  of  them  at  a  period  of  life 
when  they  should  be  cultivating  their  physical  and  moral 
powers,  already  oppressed  with  the  cares  and  feebleness  that 
weigh  so  heavily  on  the  young  American  wife. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

“  Nay,  we  must  longer  kneel ;  I  am  a  suitor.” 

Queen  Katherine. 

THE  Effinghams  were  soon  regularly  domesticated, 
and  the  usual  civilities  had  been  exchanged. 
Many  of  their  old  friends  resumed  their  ancient 
intercourse,  and  some  new  acquaintances  were 
made.  The  few  first  visits  were,  as  usual,  rather  labored 
and  formal ;  but  things  soon  took  their  natural  course,  and, 
as  the  ease  of  country  life  was  the  aim  of  the  family,  the 
temporary  little  bustle  was  quickly  forgotten. 

The  dressing-room  of  Eve  overlooked  the  lake,  and, 
about  a  week  after  her  arrival,  she  was  seated  in  it,  enjoy¬ 
ing  that  peculiarly  lady-like  luxury  which  is  to  be  found  in 
the  process  of  having  another  gently  disposing  of  the  hair. 
Annette  wielded  the  comb,  as  usual,  while  Ann  Sidley, 
who  was  unconsciously  jealous  that  any  one  should  be 
employed  about  her  darling,  even  in  this  manner,  though  so 
long  accustomed  to  it,  busied  herself  in  preparing  the  dif¬ 
ferent  articles  of  attire  that  she  fancied  her  young  mistress 
might  be  disposed  to  wear  that  morning.  Grace  was  also 
in  the  room,  having  escaped  from  the  hands  of  her  own 
maid,  in  order  to  look  into  one  of  those  books  which  pro¬ 
fessed  to  give  an  account  of  the  extraction  and  families  of 
the  higher  classes  of  Great  Britain,  a  copy  of  which  Eve 
happened  to  possess,  among  a  large  collection  of  books, 
Almanachs  de  Gotha,  Court  Guides,  and  other  similar 
works  that  she  had  found  it  convenient  to  possess  as  a 
traveller. 

“Ah!  here  it  is/’  said  Grace,  in  the  eagerness  of  one 


i8o 


Ifoorne  as  ffounfc 


who  is  suddenly  successful  after  a  long  and  vexatious 
search. 

“  Here  is  what,  coz  ?  ” 

Grace  colored,  and  she  could  have  bitten  her  tongue  for 
its  indiscretion,  but,  too  ingenuous  to  deceive,  she  reluc¬ 
tantly  told  the  truth. 

“  I  was  merely  looking  for  the  account  of  Sir  George 
Templemore’s  family ;  it  is  awkward  to  be  domesticated 
with  one  of  whose  family  we  are  utterly  ignorant.” 

“  Have  you  found  the  name?  ” 

“  Yes  ;  I  see  he  has  twro  sisters,  both  of  whom  are  mar¬ 
ried,  and  a  brother  who  is  in  the  Guards.  But — ” 

“  But  what,  dear  ?  ” 

“  His  title  is  not  so  very  old.” 

“  The  title  of  no  baronet  can  be  very  old,  the  order  hav¬ 
ing  been  instituted  in  the  reign  of  James  I.” 

“  I  did  not  know  that.  His  ancestor  was  created  a  bar¬ 
onet  in  1701,  I  see.  Now,  Eve — ” 

“  Now,  what,  Grace?  ” 

“  We  are  both  ” — Grace  would  not  confine  the  remark  to 
herself — “we  are  both  of  older  families  than  this!  You 
have  even  a  much  higher  English  extraction  ;  and  I  think 
I  can  claim  for  the  Van  Cortlandts  more  antiquity  than  one 
that  dates  from  1701  !  ” 

“  No  one  doubts  it,  Grace  ;  but  what  do  you  wish  me  to 
understand  by  this?  Are  we  to  insist  on  preceding  Sir 
George,  in  going  through  a  door  ?  ’  ’ 

Grace  blushed  to  the  eyes,  and  yet  she  laughed  invol¬ 
untarily. 

“What  nonsense!  No  one  thinks  of  such  things  in 
America.  ’  ’ 

“Except  at  Washington,  where,  I  am  told,  ‘Senators’ 
ladies  ’  do  give  themselves  airs.  But  }7ou  are  quite  right, 
Grace  ;  women  have  no  rank  in  America,  beyond  their  gen¬ 
eral  social  rank  as  ladies  or  no  ladies,  and  we  will  not  be  the 
first  to  set  an  example  of  breaking  the  rule.  I  am  afraid  our 
blood  will  pass  for  nothing,  and  that  we  must  give  place  to  the 
baronet,  unless,  indeed,  he  recognizes  the  rights  of  the  sex.” 

“  You  know  I  mean  nothing  so  silly.  Sir  George  Tern- 


Tbonte  as  found 


l8r 


piemore  does  not  seem  to  think  of  rank  at  all  ;  even  Mr. 
Powis  treats  him  in  all  respects  as  an  equal,  and  Sir  George 
seems  to  admit  it  to  be  right.  ’  ’ 

Eve’s  maid,  at  the  moment,  was  twisting  her  hair,  with 
the  intention  to  put  it  up  ;  but  the  sudden  manner  in  which 
her  young  mistress  turned  to  look  at  Grace,  caused  Annette 
to  relinquish  her  grasp,  and  the  shoulders  of  the  beautiful 
and  blooming  girl  were  instantly  covered  with  the  luxuriant 
tresses. 

And  why  should  not  Mr.  Powis  treat  Sir  George  Tem- 
plemore  as  one  every  way  his  equal,  Grace?”  she  asked, 
with  an  impetuosity  unusual  in  one  so  trained  in  the  forms 
of  the  world. 

Why,  Eve,  one  is  a  baronet,  and  the  other  is  but  a 
simple  gentleman.  ’  ’ 

Eve  Effingham  sat  silent  for  quite  a  minute.  Her  little 
foot  moved,  and  she  had  been  carefully  taught,  too,  that  a 
lady-like  manner  required  that  even  this  beautiful  portion 
of  the  female  frame  should  be  quiet  and  unobtrusive. 
But  America  did  not  contain  two  of  the  same  sex,  years, 
and  social  condition,  less  alike  in  their  opinions,  or  it  might 
be  said  their  prejudices,  than  the  two  cousins.  Grace  Van 
Cortlandt,  of  the  best  blood  of  her  native  land,  had  uncon¬ 
sciously  imbibed  in  childhood  the  notions  connected  with 
hereditary  rank,  through  the  traditions  of  colonial  manners, 
by  means  of  novels,  by  hearing  the  vulgar  reproached  or 
condemned  for  their  obtrusion  and  ignorance,  and  too  often 
justly  reproached  and  condemned,  and  by  the  aid  of  her  im¬ 
agination,  which  contributed  to  throw  a  gloss  and  brilliancy 
over  a  state  of  things  that  singularly  gains  by  distance.  On 
the  other  hand,  with  Eve,  everything  connected  with  such 
subjects  was  a  matter  of  fact.  She  had  been  thrown  early 
into  the  highest  associations  of  Europe  ;  she  had  not  only 
seen  royalty  on  its  days  of  gala  and  representation,  a  mere 
raree-show  that  is  addressed  to  the  senses,  or  purely  an  ob¬ 
servance  of  forms  that  may  possibly  have  their  meaning,  but 
which  can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  their  reasons  ;  but  she  had 
lived  long  and  intimately  among  the  high-born  and  great,  and 
this,  too,  in  so  many  different  countries,  as  to  have  destroyed 


182 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


the  influence  of  the  particular  nation  that  has  transmitted  so 
many  of  its  notions  to  America  as  heirlooms.  By  close  ob¬ 
servation,  she  knew  that  arbitrary  and  political  distinctions 
made  but  little  difference  between  men  of  themselves  ;  and 
so  far  from  having  become  the  dupe  of  the  glitter  of  life,  by 
living  so  long  within  its  immediate  influence,  she  had  learned 
to  discriminate  between  the  false  and  the  real,  and  to  per¬ 
ceive  that  which  was  truly  respectable  and  useful,  and  to 
know  it  from  that  which  was  merely  arbitrary  and  selfish. 
Eve  actually  fancied  that  the  position  of  an  American 
gentleman  might  readily  become,  nay,  that  it  ought  to  be, 
the  highest  of  all  human  stations,  short  of  that  of  sover¬ 
eigns.  Such  a  man  had  no  social  superior,  with  the  ex¬ 
ception  of  those  who  actually  ruled,  in  her  eyes  ;  and  this 
fact,  she  conceived,  rendered  him  more  than  noble,  as  no¬ 
bility  is  usually  graduated.  She  had  been  accustomed  to 
see  her  father  and  John  Effingham  moving  in  the  best  cir¬ 
cles  of  Europe,  respected  for  their  information  and  inde¬ 
pendence,  distinguished  by  their  manners,  admired  for  their 
personal  appearance,  manly,  courteous,  and  of  noble  bearing 
and  principles,  if  not  set  apart  from  the  rest  of  mankind  by 
an  arbitrary  rule  connected  with  rank.  Rich,  and  possess¬ 
ing  all  the  habits  that  properly  mark  refinement,  of  gentle 
extraction,  of  liberal  attainments,  walking  abroad  in  the  dig¬ 
nity  of  manhood,  and  with  none  between  them  and  the 
Deity,  Eve  had  learned  to  regard  the  gentlemen  of  her  race 
as  the  equals  in  station  of  any  of  their  European  associates, 
and  as  the  superiors  of  most,  in  everything  that  is  essential 
to  true  distinction.  With  her,  even  titular  princes  and 
dukes  had  no  estimation,  merely  as  princes  and  dukes,;  and, 
as  her  quick  mind  glanced  over  the  long  catalogue  of  artifi¬ 
cial  social  gradations,  and  she  found  Grace  actually  attaching 
an  importance  to  the  equivocal  and  purely  conventional  con¬ 
dition  of  an  English  baronet,  a  strong  sense  of  the  ludicrous 
connected  itself  with  the  idea. 

“  A  simple  gentleman,  Grace?  ”  she  repeated  slowly  after 
her  cousin ;  “  and  is  not  a  simple  gentleman,  a  simple 

American  gentleman,  the  equal  of  any  gentleman  on  earth 
— of  a  poor  baronet  in  particular  ?  ’  ’ 


Ibonte  as  jfounfc 


183 


“  Poor  baronet,  Eve  !  ” 

“Yes,  dear,  poor  baronet;  I  know  fully  the  extent  and 
meaning  of  what  I  say.  It  is  true,  we  do  not  know  as 
much  of  Mr.  Powis’  family,”  and  here  Eve’s  color  height¬ 
ened,  though  she  made  a  mighty  effort  to  be  steady  and 
unmoved,  “as  we  might ;  but  we  know  he  is  an  American  ; 
that,  at  least,  is  something  ;  and  we  see  he  is  a  gentleman  ; 
and  what  American  gentleman,  a  real  American  gentleman, 
can  be  the  inferior  of  an  English  baronet?  Would  your 
uncle,  think  you  ;  would  cousin  Jack — proud,  lofty-minded 
cousin  Jack,  think  you,  Grace — consent  to  receive  so  paltry 
a  distinction  as  a  baronetcy,  were  our  institutions  to  be  so 
far  altered  as  to  admit  of  such  social  classifications  ?  ” 

“  Why,  what  would  they  be,  Eve,  if  not  baronets  ?  ” 
“Earls,  counts,  dukes,  nay,  princes!  These  are  the 
designations  of  the  higher  classes  of  Europe,  and  such  titles, 
or  those  that  are  equivalent,  would  belong  to  the  higher 
classes  here.” 

‘  ‘  I  fancy  that  Sir  George  Templeinore  would  not  be 
persuaded  to  admit  all  this  !  ” 

“If  you  had  seen  Miss  Eve  surrounded  and  admired  by 
princes,  as  I  have  seen  her,  Miss  Grace,”  said  Ann  Sidley, 
“you  would  not  think  any  simple  Sir  George  half  good 
enough  for  her.  ’  ’ 

“Our  good  Nanny  means,  a  Sir  George,”  interrupted 
Eve,  laughing,  “  and  not  the  Sir  George  in  question.  But, 
seriously,  dearest  coz,  it  depends  more  on  ourselves,  and 
less  on  others,  in  what  light  they  are  to  regard  us,  than 
is  commonly  supposed.  Do  you  not  suppose  there  are 
families  in  America  who,  if  disposed  to  raise  any  objections 
beyond  those  that  are  purely  personal,  would  object  to 
baronets,  and  the  wearers  of  red  ribbons,  as  unfit  matches 
for  their  daughters,  on  the  ground  of  rank?  What  an 
absurdity  would  it  be  for  a  Sir  George,  or  the  Sir  George 
either,  to  object  to  a  daughter  of  a  President  of  the  United 
States,  for  instance,  on  account  of  station  ;  and  yet  I  ’ll 
answer  for  it,  you  would  think  it  no  personal  honor,  if  Mr. 
Jackson  had  a  son,  that  he  should  propose  to  my  dear  father 
for  you,  Eet  ps  respect  ourselves  properly,  take  care  to  be 


i  §4 


Ibonte  as  ffownb 


truly  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  so  far  from  titular  rank 
being  necessary  to  us,  before  a  hundred  lustra  are  past  we 
shall  bring  all  such  distinctions  into  discredit,  by  showing 
that  they  are  not  necessary  to  any  one  important  interest,  or 
to  true  happiness  and  respectability  anywhere.  ’  ’ 

“  And  do  you  not  believe,  Eve,  that  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  thinks  of  the  difference  in  station  between  us  ?  ” 

“I  cannot  answer  for  that,”  said  Eve,  calmly.  “The 
man  is  naturally  modest ;  and,  it  is  possible,  when  he  sees 
that  we  belong  to  the  highest  social  condition  of  a  great 
country,  he  may  regret  that  such  has  not  been  his  own 
good  fortune  in  his  native  land  ;  especially,  Grace,  since  he 
has  known  you.” 

Grace  blushed,  looked  pleased,  delighted  even,  yet  sur¬ 
prised.  It  is  unnecessary  to  explain  the  causes  of  the 
three  first  expressions  of  her  emotions  ;  but  the  last  may 
require  a  short  examination.  Nothing  but  time  and  a 
change  of  circumstances  can  ever  raise  a  province  or  a 
provincial  town  to  the  independent  state  of  feeling  that  so 
strikingly  distinguishes  a  metropolitan  country  or  a  capital. 

/  It  would  be  as  rational  to  expect  that  the  inhabitants  of 
the  nursery  should  disregard  the  opinions  of  the  drawing¬ 
room,  as  to  believe  that  the  provincial  should  do  all  his 
own  thinking.  Political  dependency,  moreover,  is  much 
more  easily  thrown  aside  than  mental  dependency.  It  is 
not  surprising,  therefore,  that  Grace  Van  Cortlandt,  with 
her  narrow  associations,  general  notions  of  life,  origin,  and 
provincial  habits,  should  be  the  very  opposite  of  Eve,  in 
all  that  relates  to  independence  of  thought,  on  subjects 
like  those  that  they  were  now  discussing.  Had  Grace 
been  a  native  of  New  England,  even,  she  would  have  been 
less  influenced  by  the  mere  social  rank  of  the  baronet  than 
was  actually  the  case  :  for,  while  the  population  of  that 
part  of  the  Union  feel  more  of  the  general  subserviency  to 
Great  Britain  than  the  population  of  any  other  portion  of 
the  republic,  they  probably  feel  less  of  it  in  this  particular 
form,  from  the  circumstance  that  their  colonial  habits  were 
less  connected  with  the  aristocratical  usages  of  the  mother 
country.  Grace  was  allied  by  blood,  too,  with  the  higher 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


185 

classes  of  England,  as  indeed  was  the  fact  with  most  of  the 
old  families  among  the  New  York  gentry  ;  and  the  traditions 
of  her  race  came  in  aid  of  the  traditions  of  her  colony,  to 
continue  the  profound  deference  she  felt  for  an  English 
title.  Eve  might  have  been  equally  subjected  to  the  same 
feelings,  had  she  not  been  removed  into  another  sphere  at  so 
early  a  period  of  life,  where  she  imbibed  the  notions  already 
mentioned — notions  that  were  quite  as  effectually  rooted  in 
her  moral  system,  as  those  of  Grace  herself  could  be  in  her 
own. 

“  This  is  a  strange  way  of  viewing  the  rank  of  a  baronet, 
Eve  !  ”  Grace  exclaimed,  as  soon  as  she  had  a  little  recov¬ 
ered  from  the  confusion  caused  by  the  personal  allusion. 
“  I  greatly  question  if  you  can  induce  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  to  see  his  own  position  with  your  eyes.  ’  ’ 

“  No,  my  dear  ;  I  think  he  will  be  much  more  likely  to 
regard  not  only  that,  but  most  other  things,  with  the  eyes 
of  another  person.  We  will  now  talk  of  more  agreeable 
things,  however  ;  for  I  confess,  when  I  do  dwell  on  titles, 
I  have  a  taste  for  the  more  princely  appellations  ;  and  that 
a  simple  chevalier  can  scarce  excite  a  feeling  that  such  is  the 
theme.  ’  ’ 

“Nay,  Eve,”  interrupted  Grace,  with  spirit,  “an  Eng¬ 
lish  baronet  is  noble.  Sir  George  Templemore  assured  me 
that  as  lately  as  last  evening.  The  heralds,  I  believe,  have 
quite  recently  established  that  fact  to  their  own  satisfaction.” 

“I  am  glad  of  it,  dear,”  returned  Eve,  with  difficulty 
refraining  from  gaping,  “as  it  will  be  of  great  importance 
to  them  in  their  own  eyes.  At  all  events,  I  concede  that 
Sir  George  Templemore,  knight  or  baronet,  big  baron  or 
little  baron,  is  a  noble  fellow  ;  and  what  more  can  any  rea¬ 
sonable  person  desire.  Do  you  know,  sweet  coz,  that  the 
Wigwam  will  be  full  to  overflowing  next  week  ? — that  it  will 
be  necessary  to  light  our  council-fire,  and  to  smoke  the  pipe 
of  many  welcomes  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  have  understood  Mr.  Powis,  that  his  kinsman,  Captain 
Ducie,  will  arrive  on  Monday.” 

And  Mrs.  Hawker  will  come  on  Tuesday,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bloomfield  on  Wednesday,  and  honest,  brave,  straight- 


t>ome  as  fount* 


i36 


forward,  literati-hating  Captain  Truck  on  Thursday  at  the 
latest.  We  shall  have  a  large  country  circle,  and  I  hear  the 
gentlemen  talking  of  the  boats  and  other  amusements.  But 
I  believe  my  father  has  a  consultation  in  the  library,  at 
which  he  wishes  us  to  be  present  ;  we  will  join  him  if  you 
please.” 

As  Eve’s  toilette  was  now  completed,  the  two  ladies  rose, 
and  descended  together  to  join  the  party  below.  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham  was  standing  at  a  table  that  was  covered  with  maps  ; 
while  two  or  three  respectable-looking  men,  master  me- 
,  chanics,  were  at  his  side.  The  manners  of  these  men  were 
quiet,  civil,  and  respectful,  having  a  mixture  of  manly  sim¬ 
plicity,  with  a  proper  deference  for  the  years  and  station  of 
the  master  of  the  house  ;  though  all  but  one  wore  their  hats. 
The  one  who  formed  the  exception  had  become  refined  by  a 
long  intercourse  with  this  particular  family  ;  and  his  acquired 
taste  had  taught  him  that  respect  for  himself,  as  well  as  for 
decency,  rendered  it  necessary  to  observe  the  long-established 
rules  of  decorum  in  his  intercourse  with  others.  His  com¬ 
panions,  though  without  a  particle  of  coarseness,  or  any 
rudeness  of  intention,  were  less  decorous,  simply  from  a 
loo.se  habit,  that  is  insensibly  taking  the  place  of  the  ancient 
laws  of  propriety  in  such  matters,  and  which  habit,  it  is  to 
be  feared,  has  a  part  of  its  origin  in  false  and  impracticable 
political  notions,  that  have  been  stimulated  by  the  arts  of 
demagogues.  Still  not  one  of  the  three  hard-working,  really 
civil,  and  even  humane  men,  who  now  stood  covered  in  the 
library  of  Mr.  Effingham,  was  probably  conscious  of  the 
impropriety  of  which  he  was  guilty,  or  was  doing  more  than 
insensibly  yielding  to  a  vicious  and  vulgar  practice. 

“Iam  glad  you  have  come,  my  love,”  said  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham,  as  his  daughter  entered  the  room,  “  for  I  find  I  need 
support  in  maintaining  my  own  opinions  here.  John  is 
obstinately  silent ;  and  as  for  all  these  other  gentlemen,  I 
fear  they  have  decidedly  taken  sides  against  me.” 

“You  can  usually  count  on  my  support,  dearest  father, 
feeble  as  it  may  be.  But  what  is  the  disputed  point 
to-day  ?  ’  ’ 

“  There  is  a  proposition  to  alter  the  interior  of  the 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


I87 


church,  aud  our  neighbor  Gouge  has  brought  the  plans  on 
which,  as  he  says,  he  has  lately  altered  several  churches  in 
the  country.  The  idea  is,  to  remove  the  pews  entirely, 
converting  them  into  what  are  called  ‘slips,’  to  lower  the 
pulpit,  and  to  raise  the  floor,  amphitheatre  fashion.” 

Can  there  be  a  sufficient  reason  for  this  change  ?  ’  ’  de¬ 
manded  Eve,  with  surprise.  ‘‘Slips  !  the  word  has  a  vul¬ 
gar  sound  even,  and  savors  of  a  useless  innovation.  I  doubt 
its  orthodoxy.” 

“It  is  very  popular,  Miss  Eve,”  answered  Aristabulus, 
advancing  from  a  window,  where  he  had  been  whispering 
assent.  “  This  fashion  takes  universally,  and  is  getting  to 
prevail  in  all  denominations.” 

Eve  turned  involuntarily,  and  to  her  surprise  she  pen 
ceived  that  the  editor  of  the  “  Active  Inquirer  ”  was  added 
to  their  party.  The  salutations  on  the  part  of  the  young 
lady  were  distant  and  stately,  while  Mr.  Dodge,  who  had 
not  been  able  to  resist  public  opinion,  and  had  actually 
parted  with  his  moustachios,  simpered,  and  wished  to  have 
it  understood  by  the  spectators  that  he  was  on  familiar 
terms  with  all  the  family. 

“  It:  may  be  popular,  Mr.  Bragg,”  returned  Eve,  as  soon 
as  she  rose  from  her  profound  courtesy  to  Mr.  Dodge  ;  “  but 
it  can  scarcely  be  said  to  be  seemly.  This  is,  indeed,  chang¬ 
ing  the  order  of  things,  by  elevating  the  sinner  and  depress¬ 
ing  the  saint.” 

“You  forget,  Miss  Eve,  that  under  the  old  plan  the  people 
could  not  see  ;  they  were  kept  unnaturally  down,  if  one  can 
so  express  it,  while  nobody  had  a  good  lookout  but  the  par¬ 
son  and  the  singers  in  the  front  row  of  the  gallery.  This 
was  unjust.” 

“  I  do  not  conceive,  sir,  that  a  good  lookout,  as  you  term 
it,  is  at  all  essential  to  devotion,  or  that  one  cannot  as  well 

listen  to  instruction  when  beneath  the  teacher,  as  when  above 
him.” 

“Pardon  me,  Miss,”— Eve  recoiled,  as  she  always  did, 
when  Mr.  Bragg  used  this  vulgar  and  contemptuous  mode 
of  address, — “  we  put  nobody  up  or  down  ;  all  we  aim  at  is  a 
just  equality  ;  to  place  all,  as  near  as  possible,  on  a  level.” 


i88 


tbonte  as  tfomb 


Eve  gazed  about  her  in  wonder  ;  and  then  she  hesitated  a 
moment,  as  if  distrusting  her  ears. 

“Equality!  Equality  with  what?  Surely  not  with  the 
ordained  ministers  of  the  church,  in  the  performance  of  their 
sacred  duties  !  Surely  not  with  the  Deity  !  *  ’ 

“  We  do  not  look  at  it  exactly  in  this  light,  ma’am.  The 
people  build  the  church,  that  you  will  allow,  Miss  Effingham  ; 
even  you  will  allow  this,  Mr.  Effingham  ?  ’  ’ 

Both  the  parties  appealed  to  bowed  a  simple  assent  to  so 
plain  a  proposition,  but  neither  spoke. 

“  Well,  the  people  building  the  church,  very  naturally  ask 
themselves  for  what  purpose  it  was  built  ?  ’  ’ 

“  For  the  worship  of  God,”  returned  Eve,  with  a  steady 
solemnity  of  manner  that  a  little  abashed  even  the  ordinarily 
indomitable  and  self-composed  Aristabulus. 

“  Yes,  Miss  ;  for  the  worship  of  God  and  the  accommoda¬ 
tion  of  the  public.” 

“Certainly,”  added  Mr.  Dodge;  “for  the  public  accom¬ 
modation  and  for  public  worship,”  laying  due  emphasis  on 
the  adjectives. 

“  Father,  you,  at  least,  will  never  consent  to  this  ?  ” 

“  Not  readily,  my  love.  I  confess  it  shocks  all  my  notions 
of  propriety  to  see  the  sinner,  even  when  he  professes  to  be 
the  most  humble  and  penitent,  thrust  himself  up  ostenta¬ 
tiously,  as  if  filled  only  with  his  own  self-love  and  self- 
importance.” 

“You  will  allow,  Mr.  Effingham,”  rejoined  Aristabulus, 
“  that  churches  are  built  to  accommodate  the  public,  as  Mr. 
Dodge  has  so  well  remarked.” 

“No,  sir;  they  are  built  for  the  worship  of  God,  as  my 
daughter  has  so  well  remarked.” 

“  Yes,  sir  ;  that,  too,  I  grant  3^ou — ” 

“  As  secondary  to  the  main  object,  the  public  convenience, 
Mr.  Bragg  unquestionably  means,”  put  in  John  Effingham, 
speaking  for  the  first  time  that  morning  on  the  subject. 

Eve  turned  quickly  and  looked  towards  her  kinsman.  He 
was  standing  near  the  table,  with  folded  arms,  and  his  fine 
face  expressing  all  the  sarcasm  and  contempt  that  a  coun¬ 
tenance  so  singularly  calm  and  gentlemanlike  could  betray. 


Ibome  as  jfount* 


189 

“  Cousin  Jack,”  she  said  earnestly,  “this  ought  not  to 
be.” 

“  Cousin  Eve,  nevertheless  this  will  be.” 

‘  ‘  Surely  not— surely  not !  Men  can  never  so  far  forget 
appearances  as  to  convert  the  temple  of  God  into  a  theatre, 
in  which  the  convenience  of  the  spectators  is  the  one  great 
object  to  be  kept  in  view  !  ” 

“You  have  travelled,  sir,”  said  John  Effingham,  indicat¬ 
ing  by  his  eye  that  he  addressed  Mr.  Dodge,  in  particular, 

and  must  have  entered  places  of  worship  in  other  parts  of 
the  world.  Did  not  the  simple  beauty  of  the  manner  in 
which  all  classes,  the  great  and  the  humble,  the  rich  and 
the  poor,  kneel  in  a  common  humility  before  the  altar,  strike 
you  agreeably  on  such  occasions ;  in  Catholic  countries,  in 
particular  ?  ” 

“  Bless  me  !  no,  Mr.  John  Effingham.  I  was  disgusted  at 
the  meanness  of  their  rites,  and  really  shocked  at  the  abject 
manner  in  which  the  people  knelt  on  the  cold,  damp  stones, 
as  if  they  were  no  better  than  beggars.  ’  ’ 

‘‘And  were  they  not  beggars?  ”  asked  Eve,  with  almost 
a  severity  of  tone  ;  ‘  ‘  ought  they  not  so  to  consider  them¬ 
selves,  when  petitioning  for  mercy  of  the  one  great  and 
omnipotent  God  ?  ’  ’ 

Why,  Miss  Effingham,  the  people  will  rule,  and  it  is 
useless  to  pretend  to  tell  them  that  they  shall  not  have  the 
highest  seats  in  the  church  as  well  as  in  the  state.  Really, 

I  can  see  no  ground  why  a  parson  should  be  raised  above  his 
parishioners.  The  new  order  churches  consult  the  public 
convenience,  and  place  everybody  on  a  level,  as  it  might  be. 
Now,  in  old  times,  a  family  was  buried  in  its  pew.  It  could 
neither  see  nor  be  seen  ;  and  I  can  remember  the  time  when 
I  could  just  get  a  look  of  our  clergyman’s  wig  ;  for  he  was 
an  old-school  man,  and  as  for  his  fellow-creatures,  one  might 
as  well  be  praying  in  his  own  closet.  I  must  say  I  am  a 
supporter  of  liberty,  if  it  be  only  in  pews.” 

‘‘I  am  sorry,  Mr.  Dodge,”  answered  Eve,  mildly,  “you 
did  not  extend  your  travels  into  the  countries  of  the  Mussul¬ 
mans,  where  most  Christian  sects  might  get  some  useful 
notions  concerning  the  part  of  worship,  at  least,  that  is  con- 


190 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


nected  with  appearances.  There  you  would  have  seen  no 
seats,  but  sinners  bowing  down  in  a  mass,  on  the  cold 
stones,  and  all  thoughts  of  cushioned  pews  and  drawing¬ 
room  conveniences  unknown.  We  Protestants  have  im¬ 
proved  on  our  Catholic  forefathers  in  this  respect,  and  the 
innovation  of  which  you  now  speak,  in  my  eyes  is  an  irrev¬ 
erent— almost  a  sinful — invasion  of  the  proprieties  of  the 
temple.” 

‘‘Ah,  Miss  Eve,  this  comes  from  substituting  forms  for 
the  substance  of  things,”  exclaimed  the  editor.  “  For  my 
part,  I  can  say,  I  was  truly  shocked  with  the  extravagances 
I  witnessed  in  the  way  of  worship,  in  most  of  the  countries  I 
visited.  Would  you  think  it,  Mr.  Bragg,  rational  beings, 
real  bond-ftde  living  men  and  women,  kneeling  on  the  stone 
pavement,  like  so  many  camels  in  the  desert” — Mr.  Dodge 
loved  to  draw  his  images  from  the  different  parts  of  the 
I  world  he  had  seen — “  ready  to  receive  the  burdens  of  their 
masters ;  not  a  pew,  not  a  cushion,  not  a  single  comfort  that 
j  is  suitable  to  a  free  and  intelligent  being,  but  everything 
conducted  in  the  most  abject  manner,  as  if  accountable  hu¬ 
man  souls  were  no  better  than  so  many  mutes  in  a  Turkish 
palace.” 

“You  ought  to  mention  this  in  the  ‘  Active  Inquirer,’  ” 
said  Aristabulus. 

“  All  in  good  time,  sir.  I  have  many  things  in  reserve, 
among  which  I  propose  to  give  a  few  remarks — I  dare  say 
they  will  be  very  worthless  ones — on  the  impropriety  of  a 
rational  being’s  ever  kneeling.  To  my  notion,  gentlemen 
and  ladies,  God  never  intended  an  American  to  kneel.” 

The  respectable  mechanics  who  stood  around  the  table  did 
not  absolutely  assent  to  this  proposition  ;  for  one  of  them 
actually  remarked  that  “he  saw  no  great  harm  in  a  man’s 
kneeling  to  the  Deity  ’  ’  ;  but  they  evidently  inclined  to  the 
opinion  that  the  new  school  of  pews  was  far  better  than 
the  old. 

“  It  always  appears  to  me,  Miss  Effingham,”  said  one, 
“  that  I  hear  and  understand  the  sermon  better  in  one  of  the 
low  pews,  than  in  one  of  the  old  high-backed  things  that  look 
so  much  like  pounds.” 


Ibome  as  found 


i$i 

“But  can  you  withdraw  into  yourself  better,  sir?  Can 
you  more  truly  devote  all  your  thoughts,  with  a  suitable 
singleness  of  heart,  to  the  worship  of  God  ?  ” 

“You  mean  in  the  prayers,  now,  I  rather  conclude  ?  ” 

“  Certainly,  sir,  I  mean  in  the  prayers  and  the  thanks¬ 
givings.” 

Why,  we  leave  them  pretty  much  to  the  parson  ;  though 
I  own  it  is  not  quite  as  easy  leaning  on  the  edge  of  one  of 
the  new  school  pews  as  on  one  of  the  old.  They  are  better 
for  sitting  but  not  so  good  for  standing.  But  then  the  sitting 
posture  at  prayers  is  quite  coming  into  favor  among  our 
people,  Miss  Effingham,  as  well  as  among  yours.  The 
sermon  is  the  main  chance,  after  all.” 

“Yes,”  observed  Mr.  Gouge,  “give  me  good  strong 
preaching  any  day,  in  preference  to  good  praying.  A  man 
may  get  along  with  second-rate  prayers,  but  he  stands  in 
need  of  first-rate  preaching.” 

“  "These  gentlemen  consider  religion  a  little  like  a  cordial 
on  a  cold  day,”  observed  John  Effingham,  “  which  is  to  be 
taken  in  sufficient  doses  to  make  the  blood  circulate.  They 
are  not  the  men  to  be  pounded  in  pews,  like  lost  sheep ;  not 
they  !  ” 

“  Mr.  John  will  always  have  his  say,”  one  remarked,  and 
then  Mr.  Effingham  dismissed  the  party,  by  telling  them 
he  would  think  of  the  matter. 

When  the  mechanics  were  gone,  the  subject  was  discussed 
at  some  length  between  those  that  remained,  all  the  Effing- 
hams  agreeing  that  they  would  oppose  the  innovation, 
as  irreverent  in  appearance,  unsuited  to  the  retirement  and 
self-abasement  that  best  comported  with  prayer,  and  opposed 
to  the  delicacy  of  their  own  habits  ;  while  Messrs.  Bragg  and 
Dodge  contended  to  the  last  that  such  changes  were  loudly 
called  for  by  the  popular  sentiment ;  that  it  was  unsuited  to 
the  dignity  of  a  man  to  be  “  pounded,”  even  in  a  church, 
and  virtually,  that  a  good,  “  stirring  ”  sermon,  as  they  called 
it,  was  of  far  more  account,  in  public  worship,  than  all  the 
prayers  and  praises  that  could  issue  from  the  heart  or  throat. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

“We’ll  follow  Cade — we  ’ll  follow  Cade.” 

King  Henry  VI. 

“  ^  W  ^HE  views  of  this  Mr.  Bragg,  and  of  our  old 
fellow-traveller,  Mr.  Dodge,  appear  to  be  peculiar 
fl  on  the  subject  of  religious  forms,”  observed  Sir 
George  Templemore,  as  he  descended  the  little 
lawn  before  the  Wigwam,  in  company  with  the  three  ladies, 
Paul  Powis,  and  John  Effingham,  on  their  way  to  the  lake. 

‘  ‘  I  should  think  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  another  Christian 
who  objects  to  kneeling  at  prayer.” 

“Therein  you  are  mistaken,  Templemore.”  answered 
Paul  ;  “  for  this  country,  to  say  nothing  of  one  sect  which 
holds  it  in  utter  abomination,  is  filled  with  them.  Our 
pious  ancestors,  like  neophytes,  ran  into  extremes  on  the 
subject  of  forms,  as  well  as  in  other  matters.  When  you 
go  to  Philadelphia,  Miss  Effingham,  you  will  see  an  instance 
of  a  most  ludicrous  nature — ludicrous,  if  there  was  not 
.something  painfully  revolting  mingled  with  it — of  the  manner 
in  which  men  can  strain  at  a  gnat  and  swallow  a  camel  ; 
and  which  I  am  sorry  to  say  is  immediately  connected  with 
our  own  church.” 

It  was  music  to  Eve’s  ears  to  hear  Paul  Powis  speak  of 
his  pious  ancestors  as  being  American,  and  to  find  him  so 
thoroughly  indentifying  himself  with  her  own  native  land  ; 
for,  while  condemning  so  many  of  its  practices,  and  so 
much  alive  to  its  absurdities  and  contradictions,  our  heroine 
had  seen  too  much  of  other  countries,  not  to  take  an  honest 
pride  in  the  real  excellences  of  her  own.  There  was,  also, 
a  soothing  pleasure  in  hearing  him  openly  own  that  he 
belonged  to  the  same  church  as  herself. 


ibome  a 0  ffounb 


193 


“And  what  is  there  ridiculous  in  Philadelphia,  in  par¬ 
ticular,  and  in  connection  with  our  own  church  ?  ”  she  asked. 
“  I  am  not  so  easily  disposed  to  find  fault  where  the  venerable 
church  is  concerned.  ’  ’ 

“  You  know  that  the  Protestants,  in  their  horror  of  idolatry, 
discontinued,  in  a  great  degree,  the  use  of  the  cross  as  an 
outward  religious  symbol  ;  and  that  there  was  probably  a 
time  when  there  was  not  a  single  cross  to  be  seen  in  the 
whole  of  a  country  that  was  settled  by  those  who  made  a 
profession  of  love  for  Christ,  and  a  dependence  on  his  ex¬ 
piation  the  great  business  of  their  lives  !  ’  ’ 

“  Certainly.  We  all  know  our  predecessors  were  a  little 
over-rigid  and  scrupulous  on  all  points  connected  with  out¬ 
ward  appearances.” 

“They  certainly  contrived  to  render  the  religious  rites 
as  little  pleasing  to  the  senses  as  possible,  by  aiming  at  a 
sublimation  that  peculiarly  favors  spiritual  pride  and  a 
pious  conceit.  I  do  not  know  whether  travelling  has  had 
the  same  effect  on  you  as  it  has  produced  on  me  :  but  I  find 
all  my  inherited  antipathies  to  the  mere  visible  represen¬ 
tation  of  the  cross,  superseded  by  a  sort  of  solemn  affection 
for  it,  as  a  symbol,  when  it  is  plain  and  unaccompanied  by 
any  of  those  bloody  and  minute  accessories  that  are  so  often 
seen  around  it  in  Catholic  countries.  The  German  Prot¬ 
estants,  who  usually  ornament  the  altar  with  a  cross,  first 
cured  me  of  the  disrelish  I  imbibed  on  this  subject  in  child¬ 
hood.” 

“We,  also,  I  think,  cousin  John,  were  agreeably  struck 
with  the  same  usage  in  Germany.  From  feeling  a  species 
of  nervousness  at  the  sight  of  a  cross,  I  came  to  love  to  see 
it ;  and  I  think  you  must  have  undergone  a  similar  change, 
for  I  have  discovered  no  less  than  three  among  the  orna¬ 
ments  of  the  great  window  of  the  entrance  tower  at  the 
Wigwam.” 

“  You  might  have  discovered  one,  also,  in  every  door  of 
the  building,  whether  great  or  small,  young  lady.  Our 
pious  ancestors,  as  Powis  calls  them,  much  of  whose  piety, 
by  the  way,  was  anything  but  meliorated  with  spiritual  hu¬ 
mility  or  Christian  charity,  were  such  ignoramuses  as  to  set 


194 


Iborne  as  ffounb 


up  crosses  in  every  door  they  built,  even  while  they  veiled 
their  eyes  in  holy  terror  whenever  the  sacred  symbol  was 
seen  in  a  church.” 

“  Every  door  !  ”  exclaimed  the  Protestants  of  the  party. 

“Yes,  literally  every  door,  I  might  almost  say  ;  certainly 
every  panelled  door  that  was  constructed  twenty  years 
since.  I  first  discovered  the  secret  of  our  blunder,  when 
visiting  a  castle  in  France,  that  dated  back  from  the  time 
of  the  Crusade.  It  was  a  chateau  of  the  Montmorencies, 
that  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Conde  family  by 
marriage ;  and  the  courtly  old  domestic,  who  showed  me 
the  curiosities,  pointed  out  to  me  the  stone  croix  in  the 
windows,  which  has  caused  the  latter  to  be  called  croisees 
as  a  pious  usage  of  the  Crusaders.  Turning  to  a  door,  I 
saw  the  same  crosses  in  the  wooden  stiles ;  and  if  you  cast 
an  eye  on  the  first  humble  door  that  you  may  pass  in  this 
village,  you  will  detect  the  symbol  staring  you  boldly  in  the 
face,  in  the  very  heart  of  a  population  that  would  almost 
expire  at  the  thoughts  of  placing  such  a  sign  of  the  beast  on 
their  very  thresholds.” 

The  whole  party  expressed  their  surprise ;  but  the  first 
door  they  passed  corroborated  this  account,  and  proved  the 
accuracy  of  John  Effingham’s  statements.  Catholic  zeal 
and  ingenuity  could  not  have  wrought  more  accurate  sym¬ 
bols  of  this  peculiar  sign  of  the  sect  ;  and  yet,  here  they 
stood,  staring  every  passenger  in  the  face,  as  if  mocking 
the  ignorant  and  exaggerated  pretension  which  would  lay 
undue  stress  on  the  minor  points  of  a  religion,  the  essence 
of  which  was  faith  and  humility. 

‘  ‘  And  the  Philadelphia  church  ?  ’  ’  said  Eve,  quickly,  so 
soon  as  her  curiosity  was  satisfied  on  the  subject  of  the 
door ;  “I  am  now  more  impatient  than  ever,  to  learn  what 
silly  blunders  we  have  also  committed  there.” 

“  Impious  would  almost  be  a  better  term,”  Paul  an¬ 
swered.  “The  only  church  spire  that  existed  for  half  a 
century,  in  that  town,  was  surmounted  by  a  mitre ,  while  the 
cross  was  studiously  rejected.” 

A  silence  followed  ;  for  there  is  often  more  true  argument 
in  simply  presenting  the  facts  of  a  case,  than  in  all  the 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


195 


rhetoric  and  logic  that  could  be  urged  by  way  of  auxiliaries. 
Every  one  saw  the  egregious  folly,  not  to  say  presumption, 
of  the  mistake  ;  and  at  the  moment,  every  one  wondered 
how  a  common-sense  community  could  have  committed  so 
indecent  a  blunder.  We  are  mistaken.  There  was  an  ex¬ 
ception  to  the  general  feeling  in  the  person  of  Sir  George 
Templemore.  To  his  church-and-state  notions,  and  anti¬ 
catholic  prejudices,  which  were  quite  as  much  political  as 
religious,  there  was  everything  that  was  proper,  and  nothing 
that  was  wrong  ;  in  rejecting  a  cross  for  a  mitre. 

“The  church,  no  doubt,  was  Episcopal,  Powis,”  he  re¬ 
marked,  “and  it  was  not  Roman.  What  better  symbol 
than  the  mitre  could  be  chosen  ?  ” 

“  Now  I  reflect,  it  is  not  so  very  strange,’’  said  Grace, 
eagerly,  “for  you  will  remember,  Mr.  Effingham,  that 
Protestants  attach  the  idea  of  idolatry  to  the  cross,  as  it  is 
used  by  Catholics.  ’  ’ 

“And  of  bishops,  peers  in  parliament,  church  and  state, 
to  a  mitre.” 

“Yes;  but  the  church  in  question  I  have  seen;  audit 
was  erected  before  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  It  was  an 
English  rather  than  an  American  church.” 

“  It  was,  indeed,  an  English  church  rather  than  an  Ameri¬ 
can  ;  and  Templemore  is  very  right  to  defend  it,  mitre  and  all.  ’  ’ 

“I  dare  say  a  bishop  officiated  at  its  altar.” 

“I  dare  say — nay,  I  know  he  did;  and  I  will  add,  he 
would  rather  that  the  mitre  were  two  hundred  feet  in  the 
air  than  down  on  his  own  simple,  white-haired,  apostolical- 
looking  head.  But  enough  of  divinity  for  the  morning  ; 
yonder  is  Tom  with  the  boat ;  let  us  to  our  oars.” 

The  party  were  now  on  the  little  wharf  that  served  as  a 
village-landing,  and  the  boatman  mentioned  lay  off,  in  wait¬ 
ing  for  the  arrival  of  his  fare.  Instead  of  using  him,  how¬ 
ever,  the  man  was  dismissed,  the  gentlemen  preferring  to 
handle  the  oars  themselves.  Aquatic  excursions  were  of 
constant  occurrence  in  the  warm  months,  on  that  beautifully 
limpid  sheet  of  water,  and  it  was  the  practice  to  dispense 
with  the  regular  boatmen,  whenever  good  oarsmen  were  to 
be  found  among  the  company. 


196 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


As  soon  as  the  light,  buoyant  skiff  was  brought  to  the 
side  of  the  wharf,  the  whole  party  embarked  ;  and  Paul 
and  the  baronet  taking  the  oars,  they  soon  urged  the  boat 
from  the  shore. 

“  The  world  is  getting  to  be  too  confined  for  the  adven¬ 
turous  spirit  of  the  age,”  said  Sir  George,  as  he  and  his 
companion  pulled  leisurely  along,  taking  the  direction  of 
the  eastern  shore,  beneath  the  forest-clad  cliffs  of  which  the 
ladies  had  expressed  a  wish  to  be  rowed  ;  “  here  are  Powis 
and  myself  actually  rowing  together  on  a  mountain  lake  of 
America,  after  having  boated  as  companions  on  the  coast  of 
Africa,  and  on  the  margin  of  the  Great  Desert.  Polynesia 
and  Terra  Australis  may  yet  see  us  in  company,  as  hardy 
cruisers.  ’  ’ 

“  The  spirit  of  the  age  is,  indeed,  working  wonders  in  the 
way  you  mean,”  said  John  Effingham.  “  Countries  of 
which  our  fathers  merely  read,  are  getting  to  be  as  familiar 
as  our  own  homes  to  their  sons  ;  and,  with  you,  one  can 
hardly  foresee  to  what  a  pass  of  adventure  the  generation  or 
two  that  will  follow  us  may  not  reach.” 

“  Vraiment ,  c'  est  fort  extraordinaire  de  sc  trouver  sur  un 
lac  Americain,"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

“More  extraordinary  than  to  find  one’s  .self  on  a  Swiss 
lake,  think  you,  my  dear  Mademoiselle  Viefville?” 

“Non,  7ion,  mais  tout  aussi  extraordinaire  pour  une  Pa- 
risienne.  ’  ’ 

“  I  am  now  about  to  introduce  you,  Mr.  John  Effingham 
and  Miss  V an  Cortlandt  excepted,  ’  ’  Eve  continued,  ‘  ‘  to  the 
wonders  and  curiosities  of  this  lake  and  region.  There, 
near  the  small  house  that  is  erected  over  a  spring  of  deli¬ 
cious  water,  stood  the  hut  of  Natty  Bumppo,  once  known 
throughout  all  these  mountains  as  a  renowned  hunter  ;  a 
man  who  had  the  simplicity  of  a  woodsman,  the  heroism 
of  a  savage,  the  faith  of  a  Christian,  and  the  feelings  of  a 
poet.  A  better  than  he,  after  his  fashion,  seldom  lived.” 

We  have  all  heard  of  him,”  said  the  baronet,  looking 
round  curiously  ;  “and  must  all  feel  an  interest  in  what 
concerns  so  brave  and  just  a  man.  I  would  I  could  see  his 
counterpart.” 


iborne  as  jfounb 


197 


“Alas!”  said  John  Effingham,  “  the  days  of  the 
‘  Eeather-Stockings  ’  have  passed  away.  He  preceded  me 
in  life,  and  I  see  few  remains  of  his  character  in  a  region 
where  speculation  is  more  rife  than  moralizing,  and  emi¬ 
grants  are  plentier  than  hunters.  Natty  probably  chose 
that  spot  for  his  hut,  on  account  of  the  vicinity  of  the 
spring  ;  is  it  not  so,  Miss  Effingham  ?  ’  ’ 

“  He  did  ;  and  yonder  little  fountain  that  you  see  gush¬ 
ing  from  the  thicket,  and  which  comes  glancing  like  dia¬ 
monds  into  the  lake,  is  called  the  ‘  Fairy  Spring,’  by  some 
flight  of  poetry  that,  like  so  many  of  our  feelings,  must 
have  been  imported ,  for  I  see  no  connection  between  the 
name  and  the  character  of  the  country,  fairies  having  never 
been  known,  even  by  tradition,  in  Otsego.” 

The  boat  now  came  under  a  shore,  where  the  trees 
fringed  the  very  water,  frequently  overhanging  the  element 
that  mirrored  their  fantastic  forms.  At  this  point  a  light 
skiff  was  moving  leisurely  along  in  their  own  direction,  but 
a  short  distance  in  advance.  On  a  hint  from  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  a  few  vigorous  strokes  of  the  oars  brought  the  two 
boats  near  each  other. 

“  This  is  the  flag-ship,”  half  whispered  John  Effingham, 
as  they  came  near  the  other  skiff,  ‘  ‘  containing  no  less  a 
man  than  the  ‘commodore.’  Formerly  the  chief  of  the 
lake  was  an  admiral,  but  that  was  in  times  when,  living 
nearer  to  the  monarchy,  we  retained  some  of  the  European 
terms  ;  now,  no  man  rises  higher  than  a  commodore  in 
America,  whether  it  be  on  the  ocean  or  on  the  Otsego, 
whatever  may  be  his  merits  or  his  services.  A  charming  day, 
commodore ;  I  rejoice  to  see  you  still  afloat  in  your  glory.” 

The  commodore,  a  tall,  thin,  athletic  man  of  seventy, 
with  a  white  head,  and  movements  that  were  quick  as  those 
of  a  boy,  had  not  glanced  aside  at  the  approaching  boat 
until  he  was  thus  saluted  in  the  well-known  voice  of  John 
Effingham.  He  then  turned  his  head,  however,  and  scanning 
the  whole  party  through  his  spectacles,  he  smiled  good- 
naturedly,  made  a  flourish  with  one  hand,  while  he  contin¬ 
ued  paddling  with  the  other,  for  he  stood  erect  and  straight 
in  the  stern  of  his  skiff,  and  answered  heartily, — 


Ibome  as  iFounb 


198 


“A  fine  morning,  Mr.  John,  and  the  right  time  of  the 
moon  for  boating.  This  is  not  a  real  scientific  day  for  the 
fish,  perhaps;  but  I  have  just  come  out  to  see  that  all 
the  points  and  bays  are  in  their  right  places.” 

‘ 1  How  is  it,  commodore,  that  the  water  near  the  village 
is  less  limpid  than  common,  and  that  even  up  here  we  see 
so  many  specks  floating  on  its  surface  ?  ’  ’ 

“  What  a  question  for  Mr.  John  Effingham  to  ask  on  his 
native  water !  So  much  for  travelling  in  far  countries, 
where  a  man  forgets  quite  as  much  as  he  learns,  I  fear.” 
Here  the  commodore  turned  entirely  round,  and  raising  an 
open  hand  in  an  oratorical  manner,  he  added,  “  You  must 
know,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  the  lake  is  in  blow.” 

“In  blow,  commodore!  I  did  not  know  that  the  lake 
bore  its  blossoms.” 

“  It  does,  sir,  nevertheless.  Ay,  Mr.  John,  and  its  fruits, 
too ;  but  the  last  must  be  dug  for,  like  potatoes.  There 
have  been  no  miraculous  draughts  of  the  fishes  of  late  years 
in  the  Otsego,  ladies  and  gentlemen  ;  but  it  needs  the  scien¬ 
tific  touch  and  the  knowledge  of  baits  to  get  a  fin  of  any  of 
your  true  game  above  the  water,  nowadays.  Well,  I  have 
had  the  head  of  the  sogdollager  thrice  in  the  open  air,  in  my 
time,  though  I  am  told  the  admiral  actually  got  hold  of  him 
once  with  his  hand.” 

‘  ‘  The  sogdollager  !  ’  ’  said  Eve,  much  amused  with  the 
singularities  of  the  man,  whom  she  perfectly  remembered 
to  have  been  commander  of  the  lake,  even  in  her  own 
infancy;  “we  must  be  indebted  to  you  for  an  explanation 
of  that  term,  as  well  as  for  the  meaning  of  your  allusion  to 
the  head  and  the  open  air.” 

‘  ‘  A  sogdallager,  young  lady,  is  the  perfection  of  a  thing. 
I  know  Mr.  Grant  used  to  say  there  was  no  such  word  in 
the  dictionary  ;  but  then  there  are  many  words  that  ought 
to  be  in  the  dictionaries  that  have  been  forgotten  by  the 
printers.  I11  the  way  of  salmon  trout,  the  sogdallager  is 
their  commodore.  Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  should  not 
like  to  tell  you  all  I  know  about  the  patriarch  of  the  lake, 
for  you  would  scarcely  believe  me  ;  but  if  he  would  not 


Iborne  as  .fount) 


199 


weigh  a  hundred  when  cleaned,  there  is  not  an  ox  in  the 
county  that  will  weigh  a  pound  when  slaughtered.” 

“You  say  you  had  his  head  above  water?”  said  John 
Effingham. 

“  Thrice,  Mr.  John.  The  first  time  was  thirty  years  ago  ; 
and  I  confess  I  lost  him  on  that  occasion  by  want  of  science  ; 
for  the  art  is  not  learned  in  a  day,  and  I  had  then  followed 
the  business  but  ten  years.  The  second  time  was  five  years 
later  ;  and  I  had  then  been  fishing  expressly  for  the  old 
gentleman  about  a  month.  For  near  a  minute  it  was  a 
matter  of  dispute  between  us  whether  he  should  come  out 
of  the  lake  or  I  go  into  it ;  but  I  actually  got  his  gills  in 
plain  sight.  That  was  a  glorious  haul !  Washington  did 
not  feel  better  the  night  Cornwallis  surrendered,  than  I  felt 
on  that  great  occasion.” 

“  One  never  knows  the  feelings  of  another,  it  seems.  I 
should  have  thought  disappointment  at  the  loss  would  have 
been  the  prevailing  sentiment  on  that  great  occasion,  as 
you  so  justly  term  it.” 

“So  it  would  have  been,  Mr.  John,  with  an  unscientific 
fisherman  ;  but  we  experienced  hands  know  better.  Glory 
is  to  be  measured  by  quality,  and  not  by  quantity,  ladies 
and  gentlemen  ;  and  I  look  on  it  as  a  greater  feather  in  a 
man’s  cap  to  see  the  sogdollager’s  head  above  water  for 
half  a  minute  than  to  bring  home  a  skiff  filled  with  pick¬ 
erel.  The  last  time  I  got  a  look  at  the  old  gentleman  I 
did  not  try  to  get  him  into  the  boat,  but  we  sat  and  con¬ 
versed  for  near  two  minutes  ;  he  in  the  water,  and  I  in  the 
skiff.” 

“Conversed!”  exclaimed  Eve,  “and  with  a  fish,  too! 
What  could  the  animal  have  to  say?  ” 

“  Why,  young  lady,  a  fish  can  talk  as  well  as  one  of  our¬ 
selves  ;  the  only  difficulty  is  to  understand  what  he  says. 
I  have  heard  the  old  settlers  affirm  that  the  Eeather-Stock- 
ing  used  to  talk  for  hours  at  a  time  with  the  animals  of  the 
forest.” 

“  You  knew  the  Leather-Stocking,  commodore?  ” 

“  No,  young  lady,  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  never  had  the 


200 


Ifronte  as  ffounD 


pleasure  of  looking  on  him  even.  He  was  a  great  man  S 
They  may  talk  of  their  Jeffersons  and  Jacksons,  but  I  set 
down  Washington  and  Natty  Bumppo  as  the  two  only 
really  great  men  of  my  time.” 

“What  do  you  think  of  Bonaparte,  commodore?”  in- 
quired  Paul. 

“  Well,  sir,  Bonaparte  had  some  strong  points  about  him, 

I  do  really  believe.  But  he  could  have  been  nothing  to  the 
Leather-Stocking  in  the  woods!  It’s  no  great  matter, 
young  gentleman,  to  be  a  great  man  among  your  inhabit¬ 
ants  of  cities — what  I  call  umbrella  people.  Why,  Natty 
was  almost  as  great  with  the  spear  as  with  the  rifle  ;  though 
I  never  heard  that  he  got  a  sight  of  the  sogdollager.” 

“We  shall  meet  again  this  summer,  commodore,”  said 
John  Effingham  ;  “  the  ladies  wish  to  hear  the  echoes,  and 
we  must  leave  you.” 

“All  very  natural,  Mr.  John,”  returned  the  commodore, 
laughing,  and  again  flourishing  his  hand  in  his  own  peculiar 
manner.  “  The  women  all  love  to  hear  the  echoes,  for  they 
are  not  satisfied  with  what  they  have  once  said,  but  they 
like  to  hear  it  over  again.  I  never  knew  a  lady  come  on  the 
Otsego  but  one  of  the  first  things  she  did  was  to  get  pad- 
died  to  the  Speaking  Rocks  to  have  a  chat  with  herself. 
They  come  out  in  such  numbers  sometimes,  and  then  all 
talk  at  once,  in  a  way  quite  to  confuse  the  echo.  I  suppose 
you  have  heard,  young  lady,  the  opinion  people  have  now 
got  concerning  these  voices.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  cannot  say  I  have  ever  heard  more  than  that  they  are 
some  of  the  most  perfect  echoes  known,”  answered  Eve, 
turning  her  body  so  as  to  face  the  old  man,  as  the  skiff  of 
the  party  passed  that  of  the  veteran  fisherman. 

“Some  people  maintain  that  there  is  no  echo  at  all,  and 
that  the  sounds  we  hear  come  from  the  spirit  of  the  Leather- 
Stocking,  which  keeps  about  its  old  haunts,  and  repeats 
everything  we  sa}q  in  mockery  of  the  invasion  of  the  woods. 
I  do  not  say  this  notion  is  true,  or  that  it  is  my  own  ;  but 
we  all  know  that  Natty  did  dislike  to  see  a  new  settler 
arrive  in  the  mountains,  and  that  he  loved  a  tree  as  a  musk¬ 
rat  loves  water.  They  show  a  pine  up  here  on  the  side  of 


Ibome  as  JFounb 


201 


the  Vision,  which  he  notched  at  every  new-comer,  until 
reaching  seventeen,  his  honest  old  heart  could  go  no  further, 
and  he  gave  the  matter  up  in  despair.” 

‘  ‘  This  is  so  poetical,  commodore,  it  is  a  pity  it  cannot  be 
true.  I  like  this  explanation  of  the  ‘  Speaking  Rocks,’ 
much  better  than  that  implied  by  the  name  of  ‘  Fairy 
Spring.’  ” 

“  You  are  quite  right,  young  lady,”  called  out  the  fisher¬ 
man,  as  the  boats  separated  still  farther.  “There  never  was 
any  fairy  known  in  Otsego  ;  but  the  time  has  been  when  we 
could  boast  of  a  Natty  Bumppo.” 

Here  the  commodore  flourished  his  hand  again,  and  Eve 
nodded  her  adieus.  The  skiff  of  the  party  continued  to  pull 
slowly  along  the  fringed  shore,  occasionally  sheering  more 
into  the  lake,  to  avoid  some  overhanging  and  nearly  hori¬ 
zontal  tree,  and  then  returning  so  closely  to  the  land,  as  barely 
to  clear  the  pebbles  of  the  narrow  strand  with  the  oar. 

Eve  thought  she  had  never  beheld  a  more  wild  or  beau¬ 
tifully  variegated  foliage,  than  that  which  the  whole  leafy 
mountain-side  presented.  More  than  half  of  the  forest  of 
tall,  solemn  pines,  that  had  veiled  the  earth  when  the 
country  was  first  settled,  had  already  disappeared  ;  but 
agreeably  to  one  of  the  mysterious  laws  by  which  nature  is 
governed,  a  rich  second  growth,  that  included  nearly  every 
variety  of  American  wood,  had  shot  up  in  their  places. 
The  rich,  Rembrandt-like  hemlocks,  in  particular,  were  per¬ 
fectly  beautiful,  contrasting  admirably  with  the  livelier  tints 
of  the  various  deciduous  trees.  Here  and  there,  some 
flowering  shrub  rendered  the  picture  gay,  while  masses  of 
the  rich  chestnut,  in  blossom,  lay  in  clouds  of  natural  glory 
among  the  dark  tops  of  the  pines. 

The  gentlemen  pulled  the  light  skiff  fully  a  mile  under 
this  overhanging  foliage,  occasionally  frightening  some  mi¬ 
gratory  bird  from  a  branch,  or  a  water-fowl  from  the  nar¬ 
row  strand.  At  length,  John  Effingham  desired  them  to 
cease  rowing,  and  managing  the  skiff  for  a  minute  or  two 
with  the  paddle  wlpch  he  had  used  in  steering,  he  desired 
the  whole  party  to  look  up,  announcing  to  them  that  they 
were  beneath  the  “Silent  Pine.” 


202 


Ibonte  as  ffounb 


A  common  exclamation  of  pleasure  succeeded  the  upward 
glance  ;  for  it  is  seldom  that  a  tree  is  seen  to  more  advan¬ 
tage  than  that  which  immediately  attracted  every  eye.  The 
pine  stood  on  the  bank,  with  its  roots  embedded  in  the 
earth,  a  few  feet  higher  than  the  level  of  the  lake,  but  in 
such  a  situation  as  to  bring  the  distance  above  the  water 
into  the  apparent  height  of  the  tree.  Tike  all  of  its  kind 
that  grow  in  the  dense  forests  of  America,  its  increase,  for 
a  thousand  years,  had  been  upwards ;  and  it  now  stood  in 
solitary  glory,  a  memorial  of  what  the  mountains  which 
were  yet  so  rich  in  vegetation  had  really  been  in  their  days 
of  nature  and  pride.  For  near  a  hundred  feet  above  the 
eye,  the  even,  round  trunk  was  branchless,  and  then  com¬ 
menced  the  dark-green  masses  of  foliage,  which  clung 
around  the  stem  like  smoke  ascending  in  wreaths.  The 
tall,  column-like  tree  had  inclined  towards  the  light  when 
struggling  among  its  fellows,  and  it  now  so  far  overhung 
the  lake,  that  its  summit  may  have  been  some  ten  or  fifteen 
feet  without  the  base.  A  gentle,  graceful  curve  added  to 
the  effect  of  this  variation  from  the  perpendicular,  and 
infused  enough  of  the  fearful  into  the  grand,  to  render  the 
picture  sublime.  Although  there  was  not  a  breath  of  wind 
on  the  lake,  the  currents  were  strong  enough  above  the 
forest  to  move  this  lofty  object,  and  it  was  just  possible  to 
detect  a  slight,  graceful  yielding  of  the  very  uppermost 
boughs  to  the  passing  air. 

“This  pine  is  ill-named,”  cried  Sir  George  Templemore, 

for  it  is  the  most  eloquent  tree  eye  of  mine  has  ever 
looked  on  !  ” 

“It  is  indeed  eloquent,  ’  ’  answered  Eve  ;  ‘  ‘  one  hears  it 
speak  even  now  of  the  fierce  storms  that  have  whistled 
round  its  tops — of  the  seasons  that  have  passed  since  it 
extricated  that  verdant  cap  from  the  throng  of  sisters  that 
grew  beneath  it,  and  of  all  that  has  passed  on  the  Otsego, 
when  this  limpid  lake  lay  like  a  gem  embedded  in  the  forest. 
When  the  Conqueror  first  landed  in  England  this  tree  stood 
on  the  spot  where  it  now  stands  !  Here,  then,  is  at  last  an 
American  antiquity  !  ’  ’ 

“A  true  and  regulated  taste,  Miss  Effingham,”  said  Paul, 


ibome  as  ffounb 


203 


“has  pointed  out  to  you  one  of  the  real  charms  of  the 
country.  Were  we  to  think  less  of  the  artificial  and  more 
of  our  natural  excellences,  we  should  render  oursel\  es  less 
liable  to  criticism.” 

Eve  was  never  inattentive  when  Paul  spoke,  and  her  color 
heightened  as  he  paid  this  compliment  to  her  taste,  but  still 

her  soft  blue  eye  was  riveted  on  the  pine. 

“Silent  it  may  be  in  one  respect,  but  it  is  indeed  all  elo¬ 
quence  in  another,”  she  resumed,  with  a  fervor  that  was  not 
lessened  by  Paul’s  remark.  “  That  crest  of  verdure,  which 
resembles  a  plume  of  feathers,  speaks  of  a  thousand  things 
to  the  imagination.” 

“  I  have  never  known  a  person  of  any  poetry  who  came 
under  this  tree,  ”  said  John  Kffingham,  that  did  not  fall 
into  this  very  train  of  thought.  I  once  brought  a  man 
celebrated  for  his  genius  here,  and  after  gazing  for  a  min¬ 
ute  or  two  at  the  high,  green  tuft  that  tops  the  tree,  he  ex¬ 
claimed,  ‘  That  mass  of  green  waved  there  in  the  fierce  light 
when  Columbus  first  ventured  into  the  unknown  sea.’  It  is 
indeed  eloquent ;  for  it  tells  the  same  glowing  tale  to  all  who 
approach  it— a  tale  fraught  with  feeling  and  recollections. 

“And  yet  its  silence  is,  after  all,  its  eloquence,”  added 
Paul ;  “  and  the  name  is  not  so  misplaced  as  one  might  at 
first  think.” 

‘  4  It  probably  obtained  its  name  from  .some  fancied  con¬ 
trast  to  the  garrulous  rocks  that  lie  up  yonder,  half  con¬ 
cealed  by  the  forest.  If  you  will  ply  the  oais,  gentlemen, 
we  will  now7  hold  a  little  communion  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Eeather-Stocking.  ’  ’ 

The  young  men  complied  ;  and  in  about  five  minutes 
the  .skiff  was  off  in  the  lake,  at  the  distance  of  fifty  rods 
from  the  shore,  where  the  whole  mountain-side  came  at  one 
glance  into  the  view.  Here  they  lay  on  their  oars,  and 
John  Effingham  called  out  to  the  rocks  a  good  morning, 
in  a  clear,  distinct  voice.  The  mocking  sounds  were  thrown 
back  again  with  a  closeness  of  resemblance  that  actually 
startled  the  novice.  Then  followred  other  calls  and  othei 
repetitions  of  the  echoes,  which  did  not  lose  the  minutest 
intonation  of  the  voice. 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


204 


“This  actually  surpasses  the  celebrated  echoes  of  the 
Rhine,”  cried  the  delighted  Eve ;  “for,  though  those  do 
give  the  strains  of  the  bugle  so  clearly,  I  do  not  think  they 
answer  to  the  voice  with  so  much  fidelity.” 

“You  are  very  right,  Eve,”  replied  her  kinsman,  “for  I 
can  recall  no  place  where  so  perfect  and  accurate  an  echo 
is  to  be  heard,  as  at  these  Speaking  Rocks.  By  increasing 
our  distance  to  half  a  mile,  and  using  a  bugle,  as  I  well 
know  from  actual  experiment,  we  should  get  back  entire 
passages  of  an  air.  The  interval  between  the  sound  and 
the  echo,  too,  wTould  be  distinct,  and  would  give  time  for  an 
undivided  attention.  Whatever  may  be  said  of  the  ‘  pine/ 
these  rocks  are  most  aptly  named  ;  and  if  the  spirit  of 
Eeather-Stocking  has  any  concern  with  the  matter,  he  is  a 
mocking  spirit.” 

John  Effingham  now  looked  at  his  watch,  and  then  he 
explained  to  the  party  a  pleasure  he  had  in  store  for  them. 
Oil  a  sort  of  small,  public  promenade,  that  lay  at  the  point 
where  the  river  flowed  out  of  the  lake,  stood  a  rude  shell 
of  a  building  that  was  called  the  “gun-house.”  Here — a 
speaking  picture  of  the  entire  security  of  the  country,  from 
foes  within  as  well  as  from  foes  without — were  kept  two 
or  three  pieces  of  field  artillery,  with  doors  so  open  that 
any  one  might  enter  the  building,  and  even  use  the  guns 
at  will,  although  thej^  properly  belonged  to  the  organized 
corps  of  the  State. 

One  of  these  guns  had  been  sent  a  short  distance  down 
the  valley  ;  and  John  Effingham  informed  his  companions 
that  they  might  look  momentarily  for  its  reports  to  arouse 
the  echoes  of  the  mountains.  He  was  still  speaking  when 
the  gun  was  fired,  its  muzzle  being  turned  eastward.  The 
sound  first  reached  the  side  of  the  Vision,  abreast  of  the 
village,  whence  the  reverberations  reissued,  and  rolled  along 
the  range,  from  cave  to  cave,  and  cliff  to  cliff,  and  wood  to 
wood,  until  they  were  lost,  like  distant  thunder,  two  or 
three  leagues  to  the  northward.  The  experiment  was 
thrice  repeated,  and  always  with  the  same  magnificent  effect, 
the  western  hills  actually  echoing  the  echoes  of  the  eastern 
mountains,  like  the  dying  strains  of  some  falling  music. 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


205 


‘  ‘  Such  a  locality  would  be  a  treasure  in  the  vicinity  of  a 
melodramatic  theatre,”  said  Paul,  laughing,  “  for  certainly 
no  artificial  thunder  I  have  ever  heard  has  equalled  this. 
This  sheet  of  water  might  even  receive  a  gondola.” 

‘ 4  And  yet,  I  fear,  one  accustomed  to  the  boundless  hori¬ 
zon  of  the  ocean  might  in  time  weary  of  it,”  answered  John 
Effingham,  significantly. 

Paul  made  no  answer  ;  and  the  party  rowed  away  in 
silence. 

“  Yonder  is  the  spot  where  we  have  so  long  been  accus¬ 
tomed  to  resort  for  picnics,”  said  Eve,  pointing  out  a  lovely 
place,  that  was  beautifully  shaded  by  old  oaks,  and  on 
which  stood  a  rude  house  that  was  much  dilapidated,  and 
indeed  injured,  by  the  hands  of  man.  John  Effingham 
smiled,  as  his  cousin  showed  the  place  to  her  companions, 
promising  them  an  early  and  nearer  view  of  its  beauties. 

“  By  the  way,  Miss  Effingham,”  he  said,  “  I  suppose  you 
flatter  yourself  with  being  the  heiress  of  that  desirable  re¬ 
treat  ?  ’  ’ 

“It  is  very  natural  that  at  some  day,  though  I  trust  a 
very  distant  one,  I  should  succeed  to  that  which  belongs  to 
my  dear  father.” 

“Both  natural  and  legal,  my  fair  cousin;  but  you  are 
yet  to  learn  that  there  is  a  power  that  threatens  to  rise  up 
and  dispute  your  claim.” 

“  What  power — human  power,  at  least — can  dispute 
the  lawful  claim  of  an  owner  to  his  property  ?  That  Point 
has  been  ours  ever  since  civilized  man  has  dwelt  among 
these  hills  ;  who  will  presume  to  rob  us  of  it  ?  ” 

“  You  will  be  much  surprised  to  discover  that  there  is 
such  a  power,  and  that  there  is  actually  a  disposition  to 
exercise  it.  The  public — the  all-powerful,  omnipotent, 
overruling,  law-making,  law-breaking  public — has  a  pass¬ 
ing  caprice  to  possess  itself  of  your  beloved  Point ;  and 
Ned  Effingham  must  show  unusual  energy,  or  it  will  get 
it!” 

“  Are  you  serious,  cousin  Jack  ?  ” 

“  As  serious  as  the  magnitude  of  the  subject  can  render  a 
responsible  being,  as  Mr.  Dodge  would  say.  ’  ’ 


206 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


Hve  said  no  more,  but  she  looked  vexed,  and  remained 
almost  silent  until  they  landed,  when  she  hastened  to  seek 
her  father  with  a  view  to  communicate  what  she  had  heard. 
Mr.  Effingham  listened  to  his  daughter,  as  he  always  did, 
with  tender  interest ;  and  when  she  had  done,  he  kissed 
her  glowing  cheek,  bidding  her  not  to  believe  that  which 
she  seemed  so  seriously  to  dread,  possible. 

“But  cousin  John  would  not  trifle  with  me  on  such  a 
subject,  father,”  Eve  continued;  “he  knows  how  much  I 
prize  all  those  little  heirlooms  that  are  connected  with  the 
affections.” 

“We  can  inquire  further  into  the  affair,  my  child,  if  it  be 
your  desire  ;  ring  for  Pierre,  if  you  please.” 

Pierre  answered,  and  a  message  was  sent  to  Mr.  Bragg, 
requiring  his  presence  in  the  library. 

Aristabulus  appeared,  by  no  means  in  the  best  humor, 
for  he  disliked  having  been  omitted  in  the  late  excursion  on 
the  lake,  fancying  that  he  had  a  community  right  to  share 
in  all  his  neighbors’  amusements,  though  he  had  sufficient 
self-command  to  conceal  his  feelings. 

“  I  wish  to  know,  sir,”  Mr.  Effingham  commenced,  with¬ 
out  introduction,  “whether  there  can  be  any  mistake  con¬ 
cerning  the  ownership  of  the  Fishing  Point  on  the  west  side 
of  the  lake.” 

“  Certainly  not,  sir ;  it  belongs  to  the  public.” 

Mr.  Effingham’s  cheek  glowed,  and  he  looked  astonished  ; 
but  he  remained  calm. 

“The  public!  Do  you  gravely  affirm,  Mr.  Bragg,  that 
the  public  pretends  to  claim  that  Point  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Claim,  Mr.  Effingham  !  as  long  as  I  have  resided  in  this 
k  county,  I  have  never  heard  its  right  disputed.” 

“  Your  residence  in  this  county,  sir,  is  not  of  very  ancient 
date,  and  nothing  is  easier  than  that  you  may  be  mistaken. 
I  confess  some  curiosity  to  know  in  what  manner  the  public 
has  acquired  its  title  to  the  spot.  You  are  a  lawyer,  Mr. 
Bragg,  and  may  give  an  intelligible  account  of  it.” 

Why,  sir,  your  father  gave  it  to  them  in  his  life-time. 
Everybody,  in  all  this  region,  will  tell  you  as  much  as 
this.” 


ibome  as  t'ounD 


^07 


“  Do  you  suppose,  Mr.  Bragg,  there  is  anybody  in  all  this 
region  who  will  swear  to  the  fact  ?  Proof,  you  well  know, 
is  very  requisite  even  to  obtain  justice.” 

“  I  much  question,  sir,  if  there  be  anybody  in  all  this  re¬ 
gion  that  will  not  swear  to  the  fact.  It  is  the  common  tra¬ 
dition  of  the  whole  country  ;  and,  to  be  frank  with  you,  sir, 
there  is  a  little  displeasure,  because  Mr.  John  Effingham  has 
talked  of  giving  private  entertainments  on  the  Point.” 

“  This,  then,  only  shows  how  idly  and  inconsiderately  the 
traditions  of  the  country  take  their  rise.  But,  as  I  wish  to 
understand  all  the  points  of  the  case,  do  me  the  favor  to 
walk  into  the  village,  and  inquire  of  those  whom  you  think 
the  best  informed  in  the  matter,  what  they  know  of  the 
Point,  in  order  that  I  may  regulate  my  course  accordingly. 
Be  particular,  if  you  please,  on  the  subject  of  title,  as  one 
would  not  wish  to  move  in  the  dark.” 

Aristabulus  quitted  the  house  immediately,  and  Eve,  pet 
ceiving  that  things  were  in  the  right  train,  left  her  father 
alone  to  meditate  on  what  had  just  passed.  Mr.  Effingham 
walked  up  and  down  his  library  for  some  time,  much  dis¬ 
turbed,  for  the  spot  in  question  was  identified  with  all  his 
early  feelings  and  recollections ;  and  if  there  were  a  foot  of 
land  on  earth,  to  which  he  was  more  attached  than  to  all 
others,  next  to  his  immediate  residence,  it  was  this.  Still, 
he  could  not  conceal  from  himself,  in  despite  of  his  opposi¬ 
tion  to  John  Effingham’s  sarcasms,  that  his  native  country 
had  undergone  many  changes  since  he  last  resided  in  it,  and 
that  some  of  these  changes  were  quite  sensibly  for  the 
worse.  The  spirit  of  misrule  was  abroad,  and  the  lawless 
and  unprincipled  held  bold  language,  when  it  suited  their 
purpose  to  intimidate.  As  he  ran  over  in  his  mind,  how¬ 
ever,  the  facts  of  the  case,  and  the  nature  of  his  right,  he 
smiled  to  think  that  any  one  should  contest  it,  and  sat  down 
to  his  writing,  almost  forgetting  that  there  had  been  any 
question  at  all  on  the  unpleasant  subject. 

Aristabulus  was  absent  for  several  hours,  nor  did  he  re¬ 
turn  until  Mr.  Effingham  was  dressed  for  dinner,  and  alone 
in  the  library  again,  having  absolutely  lost  all  recollection 
of  the  commission  he  had  given  his  agent. 


2o8 


■fcome  as  jfouuD 


“  It  is  as  I  told  you,  sir — the  public  insists  that  it  owns 
the  Point ;  and  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  say,  Mr.  Effingham, 
that  the  public  is  determined  to  maintain  its  claim.” 

“Then,  Mr.  Bragg,  it  is  proper  I  should  tell  the  public 
that  it  is  not  the  owner  of  the  Point,  but  that  I  am  its 
owner,  and  that  I  am  determined  to  maintain  my  claim.” 

“  It  is  hard  to  kick  against  the  pricks,  Mr.  Effingham.” 

“  It  is  so,  sir,  as  the  public  will  discover,  if  it  persevere  in 
invading  a  private  right.” 

‘  ‘  Why,  sir,  some  of  those  with  whom  I  have  conversed 
have  gone  so  far  as  to  desire  me  to  tell  you — I  trust  my 
motive  will  not  be  mistaken — ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  If  you  have  any  communication  to  make,  Mr.  Bragg,  do 
it  without  reserve.  It  is  proper  I  should  know  the  truth 
exactly.” 

“Well,  then,  sir,  I  am  the  bearer  of  something  like  a 
defiance  ;  the  people  wish  you  to  know  that  they  hold  your 
right  cheaply,  and  that  they  laugh  at  it.  Not  to  mince 
matters,  they  defy  you.  ’  ’ 

“I  thank  you  for  this  frankness,  Mr.  Bragg,  and  it  in¬ 
creases  my  respect  for  your  character.  Affairs  are  now  at 
such  a  pass,  that  it  is  necessary  to  act.  If  you  will  amuse 
yourself  with  a  book  for  a  moment,  I  shall  have  further 
occasion  for  your  kindness.” 

Aristabulus  did  not  read,  for  he  was  too  much  filled  with 
wonder  at  seeing  a  man  so  coolly  set  about  contending  with 
that  awful  public  which  he  himself  as  habitually  deferred 
to,  as  any  Asiatic  slave  defers  to  his  monarch.  Indeed, 
nothing  but  his  being  sustained  by  that  omnipotent  power, 
as  he  viewed  the  power  of  the  public  to  be,  had  emboldened 
him  to  speak  so  openly  to  his  employer,  for  Aristabulus  felt 
a  secret  confidence,  that,  right  or  wrong,  it  was  always  safe 
in  America  to  make  the  most  fearless  professions  in  favor 
of  the  great  body  of  the  community.  In  the  meantime,  Mr. 
Effingham  wrote  a  simple  advertisement  against  trespassing 
on  the  property  in  question,  and  handed  it  to  the  other, 
with  a  request  that  he  would  have  it  inserted  in  the  number 
of  the  village  paper  that  was  to  appear  next  morning.  Mr. 


fcome  a jfounO 


209 


Bragg  took  the  advertisement,  and  went  to  execute  the  duty 
without  comment. 

The  evening  arrived  before  Mr.  Effingham  was  again 
alone,  when,  being  by  himself  in  the  library  once  more,  Mr. 
Bragg  entered,  full  of  his  subject.  He  was  followed  by  John 
Effingham,  who  had  gained  an  inkling  of  what  had  passed. 

“  I  regret  to  say,  Mr.  Effingham,”  Aristabulus  commenced, 
‘  ‘  that  your  advertisement  has  created  one  of  the  greatest 
excitements  it  has  ever  been  my  ill-fortune  to  witness  in 
Templeton.” 

‘  ‘  Ail  of  which  ought  to  be  very  encouraging  to  us,  Mr. 
Bragg,  as  men  under  excitement  are  usually  wrong.” 

“  Very  true,  sir,  as  regards  individual  excitement,  but  this 
is  a  public  excitement.” 

‘  ‘  I  am  not  at  all  aware  that  that  fact  in  the  least  alters 
the  case.  If  one  excited  man  is  apt  to  do  silly  things,  half 
a  dozen  backers  will  be  very  likely  to  increase  his  folly.” 

Aristabulus  listened  with  wonder,  for  excitement  was 
one  of  the  means  for  effecting  public  objects,  so  much  prac¬ 
tised  by  men  of  his  habits,  that  it  had  never  crossed  his 
mind  any  single  individual  could  be  indifferent  to  its  effect. 
To  own  the  truth,  he  had  anticipated  so  much  unpopularity 
from  his  unavoidable  connection  with  the  affair,  as  to  have 
contributed  himself  in  producing  the  excitement,  with  the 
hope  of  ‘  ‘  choking  Mr.  Effingham  off,  ’  ’  as  he  had  elegantly 
expressed  it  to  one  of  his  intimates,  in  the  vernacular  of  the 
country. 

“  A  public  excitement  is  a  powerful  engine,  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham,”  lie  exclaimed,  in  a  sort  of  politico-pious  horror. 

“  I  am  fully  aware,  sir,  that  it  may  be  even  a  fearfully 
powerful  engine.  Excited  men,  acting  in  masses,  compose 
what  are  called  mobs,  and  have  committed  a  thousand 
excesses.  ’  ’ 

“  Your  advertisement  is  to  the  last  degree  disrelished  ;  to 
be  very  sincere,  it  is  awfully  unpopular  !  ” 

“  I  suppose  it  is  always  what  you  term  an  unpopular  act, 
so  far  as  the  individuals  opposed  are  concerned,  to  resist 
aggression.” 


2  lO 


Borne  as  jfounb 


“  But  they  call  your  advertisement  aggression,  sir.*’ 

‘  ‘  In  that  simple  fact  exist  all  the  merits  of  the  question. 
If  I  own  this  property,  the  public,  or  that  portion  of  it 
which  is  connected  with  this  affair,  are  aggressors ;  and  so 
much  more  in  the  wrong  that  they  are  many  against  one  ; 
if  they  own  the  property,  I  am  not  only  wrong,  but  very 
indiscreet.” 

The  calmness  with  which  Mr.  Effingham  spoke  had  an 
effect  on  Aristabulus,  and,  for  a  moment,  he  was  staggered. 
It  was  only  for  a  moment,  however,  as  the  pains  and  penal¬ 
ties  of  the  unpopularity  presented  themselves  afresh  to  an 
imagination  that  had  been  so  long  accustomed  to  study  the 
popular  caprice,  that  it  had  got  to  deem  the  public  favor 
the  one  great  good  of  life. 

“  But  they  say  they  own  the  Point,  Mr.  Effingham.” 

“And  I  say  they  do  not  own  the  Point,  Mr.  Bragg  ; 
never  did  own  it ;  and  with  my  consent,  never  shall 
own  it.” 

“This  is  purely  a  matter  of  fact,”  observed  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  ‘  ‘  and  I  confess  I  am  curious  to  know  how  or  whence  this 
potent  public  derives  its  title.  You  are  lawyer  enough,  Mr. 
Bragg,  to  know  that  the  public  can  hold  property  only  by  use 
or  by  especial  statute.  Now,  under  which  title  does  this  claim 
present  itself?  ” 

“  First,  by  use,  sir,  and  then  by  especial  gift.” 

“  The  use,  you  are  aware,  must  be  adverse,  or  as  opposed 
to  the  title  of  the  other  claimants.  Now,  I  am  a  living 
witness  that  my  uncle  permitted  the  public  to  use  this 
Point,  and  that  the  public  accepted  the  conditions.  Its  use, 
therefore,  has  not  been  adverse,  or,  at  least,  not  for  a  time 
sufficient  to  make  title.  Ever}"  hour  that  my  cousin  has 
permitted  the  public  to  enjoy  his  property,  adds  to  his  right, 
as  well  as  to  the  obligation  conferred  on  that  public,  and 
increases  the  duty  of  the  latter  to  cease  intruding,  whenever 
he  desires  it.  If  there  is  an  especial  gift,  as  I  understand 
you  to  say,  from  my  late  uncle,  there  must  also  be  a  law 
to  enable  the  public  to  hold,  or  a  trustee ;  which  is  the 
fact  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  admit,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  that  I  have  seen  neither 


Ibotne  as  jpounD 


21  I 


deed  nor  law,  and  I  doubt  if  the  latter  exist.  Still  the  public 
must  have  some  claim,  for  it  is  impossible  that  everybody 
should  be  mistaken.” 

“  Nothing  is  easier,  nor  anything  more  common,  than  for 
whole  communities  to  be  mistaken,  and  more  particularly 
when  they  commence  with  excitement.” 

While  his  cousin  was  speaking,  Mr.  Effingham  went  to  a 
secretaire,  and  taking  out  a  large  bundle  of  papers,  he  laid 
it  down  on  the  table,  unfolding  several  parchment  deeds,  to 
which  massive  seals,  bearing  the  arms  of  the  late  colony,  as 
well  as  those  of  England,  were  pendent. 

“  Here  are  my  titles,  sir,”  he  said,  addressing  Aristabulus, 
pointedly;  “  if  the  public  has  a  better,  let  it  be  produced, 
and  I  shall  at  once  submit  to  its  claim.” 

“  No  one  doubts  that  the  king,  through  his  authorized 
agent,  the  governor  of  the  colony  of  New  York,  granted 
this  estate  to  your  predecessor,  Mr.  Effingham,  or  that  it 
descended  legally  to  your  immediate  parent,  but  all  contend 
that  your  parent  gave  the  Point  to  the  public,  as  a  spot  of 
public  resort.” 

“  I  am  glad  that  the  question  is  narrowed  down  within 
limits  that  are  so  easily  examined.  What  evidence  is  there 
of  this  intention  on  the  part  of  my  late  father  ?  ’  ’ 

‘ 4  Common  report ;  I  have  talked  with  twenty  people 
in  the  village,  and  they  all  agree  that  the  4  Point  ’  has 
been  used  by  the  public,  as  public  property,  from  time 
immemorial.” 

“Will  you  be  so  good,  Mr.  Bragg,  as  to  name  some  of 
those  who  affirm  this  ?  ’  ’ 

Mr.  Bragg  complied,  naming  quite  the  number  of  persons 
he  had  mentioned,  with  a  readiness  that  proved  he  thought 
he  was  advancing  testimony  of  weight. 

Of  all  the  names  you  have  mentioned,  ’  ’  returned  Mr. 
Effingham,  “I  never  heard  but  three,  and  these  are  the 
names  of  mere  boys.  The  first  dozen  are  certainly  the 
names  of  persons  who  can  know  no  more  of  this  village  than 
they  have  gleaned  in  the  last  few  years  ;  and  several  of  them, 
I  understand,  have  dwelt  among  us  but  a  few  weeks,  nay, 
days.  ’  ’ 


212 


Ifoome  as  ffoimfc 


“  Have  I  not  told  you,  Ned,”  interrupted  John  Effingham, 
“  that  an  American  ‘  always  ’  means  eighteen  months,  and 
that  ‘  time  immemorial  ’  is  only  since  the  last  general  crisis 
in  the  money  market  !  ” 

‘  ‘  The  persons  I  have  mentioned  compose  a  part  of  the 
population,  sir,”  added  Mr.  Bragg,  ‘‘and  one  and  all  they 
are  ready  to  swear  that  your  father,  by  some  means  or  other, 
— they  are  not  very  particular  as  to  minutiae, -—gave  them 
the  right  to  use  this  property.” 

“  They  are  mistaken,  and  I  should  be  sorry  that  any  one 
among  them  should  swear  to  such  a  falsehood.  But  here 
are  my  titles  :  let  them  show  better,  or  if  they  can,  any, 
indeed.” 

‘  ‘  Perhaps  your  father  abandoned  the  place  to  the  public  ; 
this  might  make  a  good  claim.” 

“  That  he  did  not,  I  am  a  living  proof  to  the  contrary  ; 
he  left  it  to  his  heirs  at  his  death,  and  I  myself  exercised 
full  right  of  ownership  over  it  until  I  went  abroad.  I  did 
not  travel  with  it  in  my  pocket,  sir,  it  is  true,  but  I  left  it 
to  the  protection  of  the  laws,  which  I  trust,  are  as  available 
to  the  rich  as  to  the  poor,  although  this  is  a  free  country.” 

“  Well,  sir,  I  suppose  a  jury  must  determine  the  point, 
as  you  seem  firm  ;  though  I  warn  you,  Mr.  Effingham,  as 
one  who  knows  his  country,  that  a  verdict  in  the  face  of  the 
popular  feeling  is  rather  a  hopeless  matter.  If  they  prove 
that  your  late  father  intended  to  abandon  or  give  this  property 
to  the  public,  your  case  will  be  lost.  ’  ’ 

Mr.  Effingham  looked  among  the  papers  a  moment,  and 
selecting  one,  he  handed  it  to  Mr.  Bragg,  first  pointing  out 
to  his  notice  a  particular  paragraph. 

“This,  sir,  is  my  late  father’s  will,”  Mr.  Effingham  said 
mildly  ;  “  and  in  that  particular  clause  you  will  find  that  he 
makes  a  special  devise  of  this  very  ‘  Point,’  leaving  it  to  his 
heirs,  in  such  terms  as  to  put  any  intention  to  give  it  to  the 
public  quite  out  of  the  question.  This,  at  least,  is  the  latest 
evidence  I,  his  only  son,  executor,  and  heir,  possess  of  his 
final  wishes  ;  if  that  wondering  and  time-immemorial  public 
of  which  you  speak  has  a  better,  I  wait  with  patience  that  it 
may  be  produced.  ’  ’ 


ibome  as  jfounb 


2*3 


The  composed  manner  of  Mr.  Effingham  had  deceived 
Aristabulus,  who  did  not  anticipate  any  proof  so  completely 
annihilating  to  the  pretensions  of  the  public,  as  that  he  now 
held  in  his  hand.  It  was  a  simple,  brief  devise,  disposing  of 
the  piece  of  property  in  question,  and  left  it  without  dispute, 
that  Mr.  Effingham  had  succeeded  to  all  the  rights  of  his 
father  with  no  reservation  or  condition  of  an y  sort. 

“  This  is  very  extraordinary  !  ”  exclaimed  Mr.  Bragg,  when 
he  had  read  the  clause  seven  times,  each  perusal  contributing 
to  leave  the  case  still  clearer  in  favor  of  his  employer,  the 
individual,  and  still  stronger  against  the  hoped-for  future 
employers,  the  people.  “  The  public  ought  to  know  of  this 
bequest  of  the  late  Mr.  Effingham.” 

“  I  think  it  ought,  sir,  before  it  pretended  to  deprive  his 
child  of  his  property  ;  or  rather  it  ought  to  be  certain,  at 
least,  that  there  was  no  such  devise.” 

“You  will  excuse  me,  Mr.  Effingham,  but  I  think  it  is 
incumbent  on  a  private  citizen,  in  a  case  of  this  sort,  when 
the  public  has  taken  up  a  wrong  notion,  as  I  now  admit  is 
clearly  the  fact  as  regards  the  Point,  to  enlighten  it,  and  to 
inform  it  that  it  does  not  own  the  spot.” 

“This  has  been  done  already,  Mr.  Bragg,  in  the  adver^ 
tisement  you  had  the  goodness  to  carry  to  the  printers, 
although  I  deny  that  there  exists  any  such  obligation.” 

“  But,  sir,  they  object  to  the  mode  you  have  chosen  to  set 
them  right.”  .avw 

“The  mode  is  usual,  I  believe,  in  the  case  of  tres-  1  ,  ........ .. 

passes.” 

“They  expect  something  different,  sir,  in  an  affair  in 
which  the  public  is — is — is — all —  ’  ’ 

“Wrong,”  putin  John  Effingham,  pointedly.  “I  have 
heard  something  of  this  out-of-doors,  Ned,  and  blame  you 
for  your  moderation.  Is  it  true  that  you  had  told  several 
of  your  neighbors  that  you  have  no  wish  to  prevent  them 
from  using  the  Point,  but  that  your  sole  object  is  merely  to 
settle  the  question  of  right,  and  to  prevent  intrusions  on 
your  family,  when  it  is  enjoying  its  own  place  of  retire¬ 
ment  ?  ” 

“  Certainly,  John,  my  only  wish  is  to  preserve  the  prop- 


214 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


erty  for  those  to  whom  it  is  especially  devised,  to  allow  those 
who  have  the  best,  nay,  the  only  right  to  it,  its  undisturbed 
possession,  occasionally,  and  to  prevent  any  more  of  that  in¬ 
jury  to  the  trees  that  has  been  committed  by  some  of  those 
rude  men,  who  always  fancy  themselves  so  completely  all 
the  public,  as  to  be  masters  in  their  own  particular  persons, 
whenever  the  public  has  any  claim.  I  can  have  no  wish  to 
deprive  my  neighbors  of  the  innocent  pleasure  of  visiting 
that  Point,  though  I  am  fully  determined  they  shall  not 
deprive  me  of  my  property.” 

“  You  are  far  more  indulgent  than  I  should  be,  or  perhaps 
than  you  will  be  yourself,  when  you  read  this.” 

As  John  Effingham  spoke  he  handed  his  kinsman  a  small 
handbill,  which  purported  to  call  a  meeting  for  that  night, 
of  the  inhabitants  of  Templeton,  to  resist  his  arrogant  claim 
to  the  disputed  property.  This  handbill  had  the  usual  marks 
of  a  feeble  and  vulgar  malignancy  about  it,  affecting  to  call 
Mr.  Effingham  “one  Mr.  Effingham,”  and  it  was  anony¬ 
mous. 

“This  is  scarcely  worth  our  attention,  John,”  said  Mr. 
Effingham,  mildly.  “  Meetings  of  this  sort  cannot  decide 
a  legal  title,  and  no  man  who  respects  himself  wTill  be  the 
tool  of  so  pitiful  an  attempt  to  frighten  a  citizen  from  main¬ 
taining  his  rights.” 

“I  agree  with  you  as  respects  the  meeting,  which  has 
been  conceived  in  ignorance  and  low  malice,  and  will  prob¬ 
ably  end,  as  all  such  efforts  end,  in  ridicule.  But — ” 

“  Excuse  me,  Mr.  John,”  interrupted  Aristabulus,  “there 
is  an  awful  excitement !  Some  have  even  spoken  lynch¬ 
ing  !  ” 

“Then,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  “it  does,  indeed,  require 
that  we  should  be  more  firm.  Do  you,  sir,  know  of  any 
person  who  has  dared  to  use  such  a  menace?  ” 

Aristabulus  quailed  before  the  stern  eye  of  Mr.  Effingham, 
and  he  regretted  having  communicated  so  much,  though  he 
had  communicated  nothing  but  the  truth.  He  stammered 
out  an  obscure  and  half-intelligible  explanation,  and  pro¬ 
posed  to  attend  the  meeting  in  person,  in  order  that  he  might 
be  in  the  way  of  understanding  the  subject,  without  falling 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


215 


into  the  danger  of  mistake.  To  this  Mr.  Effingham  as¬ 
sented,  as  he  felt  too  indignant  at  this  outrage  on  all  his 
rights,  whether  as  a  citizen  or  a  man,  to  wish  to  pursue  the 
subject  with  his  agent  that  night.  Aristabulus  departed, 
and  John  Effingham  remained  closeted  with  his  kinsman 
until  the  family  retired.  During  this  long  interview,  the 
former  communicated  many  things  to  the  latter,  in  relation 
to  this  very  affair,  of  which  the  owner  of  the  property,  until 
then,  had  been  profoundly  ignorant. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


“  There  shall  be  in  England,  seven  half-penny  loaves  sold  for  a 
penny,  the  three-hooped  pot  shall  have  ten  hoops ;  and  I  will  make  it 
felony  to  drink  small  beer  :  all  the  realm  shall  be  in  common,  and  in 
Cheapside  shall  my  palfrey  go  to  grass.” 

Jack  Cade. 

THOUGH  the  affair  of  the  Point  continued  to  agi¬ 
tate  the  village  of  Templeton  next  day,  and  for 
many  days,  it  was  little  remembered  in  the  Wig¬ 
wam.  Confident  of  his  right,  Mr.  Effingham, 
though  naturally  indignant  at  the  abuse  of  his  long  liberal¬ 
ity,  through  which  alone  the  public  had  been  permitted  to 
frequent  the  place,  and  this  too,  quite  often,  to  his  own  discom¬ 
fort  and  disappointment,  had  dismissed  the  subject  tempor¬ 
arily  from  liis  mind,  and  was  already  engaged  in  his  ordinary- 
pursuits.  Not  so,  however,  with  Mr.  Bragg.  Agreeably  to 
promise,  he  had  attended  the  meeting  ;  and  now  he  seemed 
to  regulate  all  his  movements  by  a  sort  of  mysterious  self- 
importance,  as  if  the  repository  of  some  secret  of  unusual 
consequence.  No  one  regarded  his  manner,  however  ;  for 
Aristabulus,  and  his  secrets  and  opinions,  were  all  of  too 
little  value  in  the  eyes  of  most  of  the  party,  to  attract  pecu¬ 
liar  attention.  Pie  found  a  sympathetic  listener  in  Mr. 
Dodge,  happily  ;  that  person  having  been  invited,  through 
the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Effingham,  to  pass  the  day  with  those  in 
whose  company",  though  very-  unwillingly  on  the  editor’s 
part  certainly,  he  had  gone  through  so  many  dangerous 
trials.  These  two,  then,  soon  became  intimate,  and  to  have 
seen  their  shrugs,  significant  whisperings,  and  frequent  con¬ 
ferences  in  corners,  one  who  did  not  know  them,  might  have 


Ibomc  as  jfount» 


217 


fancied  their  shoulders  burdened  with  the  weight  of  the 
State. 

But  all  this  pantomime,  which  was  intended  to  awaken 
curiosity,  was  lost  on  the  company  in  general.  The  ladies, 
attended  by  Paul  and  the  baronet,  proceeded  into  the  forest 
on  foot,  for  a  morning’s  walk,  while  the  two  Messrs.  Effing¬ 
ham  continued  to  read  the  daily  journals  that  were  received 
from  town  each  morning,  with  a  most  provoking  indiffer¬ 
ence.  Neither  Aristabulus  nor  Mr.  Dodge  could  resist  any 
longer ;  and  after  exhausting  their  ingenuity,  in  the  vain 
effort  to  induce  one  of  the  two  gentlemen  to  question  them 
in  relation  to  the  meeting  of  the  previous  night,  the  desire 
to  be  doing  fairly  overcame  their  affected  mysteriousness, 
and  a  formal  request  was  made  to  Mr.  Effingham  to  give 
them  an  audience  in  the  library.  As  the  latter,  who  sus* 
pected  the  nature  of  the  interview,  requested  his  kinsman  ta 
make  one  in  it,  the  four  were  soon  alone,  in  the  apartment 
so  often  named. 

Even  now  that  his  own  request  for  the  interview  wras 
granted,  Aristabulus  hesitated  about  proceeding,  until  a  mild 
intimation  from  Mr.  Effingham  that  he  was  ready  to  hear  his 
communication,  told  the  agent  that  it  was  too  late  to  change 
his  determination. 

“  I  attended  the  meeting  last  night,  Mr.  Effingham,” 
Aristabulus  commenced,  “  agreeably  to  our  arrangement, 
and  I  feel  the  utmost  regret  at  being  compelled  to  lay  the 
result  before  a  gentleman  for  whom  I  entertain  so  profound 
a  respect.” 

“There  was  then  a  meeting?”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  in¬ 
clining  his  body  slightly,  by  way  of  acknowledgment  for 
the  other’s  compliment. 

“There  was,  sir;  and  I  think,  Mr.  Dodge,  we  may  say 
an  overflowing  one.” 

“  The  public  was  fairly  represented,”  returned  the  editor, 
“  as  many  as  fifty  or  sixty  having  been  present.” 

“  The  public  has  a  perfect  right  to  meet,  and  to  consult  on 
its  claims  to  anything  it  may  conceive  itself  entitled  to 
enjoy,”  observed  Mr.  Effingham.  “  I  can  have  no  possible 
objection  to  such  a  course,  though  I  think  it  would  have 


2l8 


Ibome  as  jfounfc) 


consulted  its  own  dignity  more,  had  it  insisted  on  being  con¬ 
voked  by  more  respectable  persons  than  those  who,  I  under¬ 
stand,  were  foremost  in  this  affair,  and  in  terms  better  suited 
to  its  own  sense  of  propriety.” 

Aristabulus  glanced  at  Mr.  Dodge,  and  Mr.  Dodge 
glanced  back  at  Mr.  Bragg  ;  for  neither  of  these  political 
mushrooms  could  conceive  of  the  dignity  and  fair-minded¬ 
ness  with  which  a  gentleman  could  view  an  affair  of  this 
nature. 

“They  passed  a  set  of  resolutions,  Mr.  Effingham,”  Aris¬ 
tabulus  resumed,  with  the  gravity  with  which  he  ever  spoke 
of  things  of  this  nature.  ”  A  set  of  resolutions,  sir  !  ” 

“  That  was  to  be  expected,”  returned  his  employer,  smil¬ 
ing  ;  “  the  Americans  are  a  set  of  resol utions-passing  people. 
Three  cannot  get  together  without  naming  a  chairman  and 
secretary,  and  a  resolution  is  as  much  a  consequence  of 
such  an  ‘  organization,’ — I  believe  that  is  the  approved 
word, — as  an  egg  is  the  accompaniment  of  the  cackling  of 
a  hen.” 

‘  ‘  But,  sir,  you  do  not  know  the  nature  of  those  resolu¬ 
tions  !  ” 

‘  ‘  Very  true,  Mr.  Bragg  ;  that  is  a  piece  of  knowledge  I 
am  to  have  the  pleasure  of  obtaining  from  you.” 

Again  Aristabulus  glanced  at  Steadfast,  and  Steadfast 
threw  back  the  look  of  surprise  ;  for  to  both  it  was  matter 
of  real  astonishment  that  any  man  should  be  so  indifferent 
to  the  resolutions  of  a  meeting  that  had  been  regularly 
organized,  with  a  chairman  and  secretary  at  its  head,  and 
which  so  unequivocally  professed  to  be  the  public. 

“I  am  reluctant  to  discharge  this  duty,  Mr.  Effingham, 
but  as  you  insist  on  its  performance,  it  must  be  done.  In 
the  first  place,  they  resolved  that  your  father  meant  to  give 
them  the  Point.” 

‘  ‘  A  decision  that  must  clearly  settle  the  matter,  and 
which  will  destroy  all  my  father’s  own  resolutions  on  the 
same  subject.  Did  they  stop  at  the  Point,  Mr.  Bragg,  or 
did  they  resolve  that  my  father  also  gave  them  his  wife  and 
children  ?  ’  ’ 

“No,  sir,  nothing  was  said  concerning  the  latter.” 


Ibome  as  jfouitb 


219 


‘  ‘  I  cannot  properly  express  my  gratitude  for  the  forbear¬ 
ance,  as  they  had  just  as  good  a  right  to  pass  this  resolution 
as  to  pass  the  other.” 

“  The  public  is  an  awful  power,  Mr.  Effingham  !” 

“  Indeed  it  is,  sir,  but  fortunately,  that  of  the  re-public  is 
still  more  awful,  and  I  shall  look  to  the  latter  for  support, 
in  this  ‘crisis’ — that  is  the  word,  too,  is  it  not,  Mr.  John 
Effingham  ?  ’  ’ 

“  If  you  mean  a  change  of  administration,  the  upsetting 
of  a  stage,  or  the  death  of  a  cart-horse  ;  they  are  all  equally 
crisises,  in  the  American  vocabulary.  ” 

“Well,  Mr.  Bragg,  having  resolved  that  it  knew  my  late 
father’s  intentions  better  than  he  knew  them  himself,  as  is 
apparent  from  the  mistake  he  made  in  his  will,  what  next 
did  the  public  dispose  of,  in  the  plentitude  of  its  power  ?  ’  ’ 

“  It  resolved,  sir,  that  it  was  your  duty  to  carry  out  the 
intentions  of  your  father.  ’  ’ 

“  In  that,  then,  we  are  perfectly  of  a  mind  ;  as  the  public 
will  most  probably  discover,  before  we  get  through  with  this 
matter.  This  is  one  of  the  most  pious  resolutions  I  ever 
knew  the  public  to  pass.  Did  it  proceed  any  further?  ” 

Mr.  Bragg,  notwithstanding  the  long-encouraged  truck¬ 
ling  to  the  sets  of  men  whom  he  was  accustomed  to  dignify 
with  the  name  of  the  public,  had  a  profound  deference  for 
the  principles,  character,  and  station  of  Mr.  Effingham,  that 
no  sophistry,  or  self-encouragement  in  the  practices  of  social 
confusion,  could  overcome  ;  and  he  paused  before  he  com¬ 
municated  the  next  resolution  to  his  employer.  But  per¬ 
ceiving  that  both  the  latter  and  his  cousin  were  quietly 
waiting  to  hear  it,  he  was  fain  to  overcome  his  scruples. 

‘  ‘  They  have  openly  libelled  you,  by  passing  resolutions 
declaring  you  to  be  odious,” 

“  That  indeed,  is  a  strong  measure,  and,  in  the  interest  of 
good  manners  and  of  good  morals,  it  may  call  for  a  rebuke. 
No  one  can  care  less  than  myself,  Mr.  Bragg,  for  the  opin¬ 
ions  of  those  who  have  sufficiently  demonstrated  that  their 
opinions  are  of  no  value,  by  the  heedless  manner  in  which 
they  have  permitted  themselves  to  fall  into  this  error  ;  but 
it  is  proceeding  too  far,  when  a  few  members  of  the  commu- 


220 


ifoome  as  ffounfc 


nity  presume  to  take  these  liberties  with  a  private  individ¬ 
ual,  and  that,  moreover,  in  a  case  affecting  a  pretended 
claim  of  their  own  ;  and  I  desire  you  to  tell  those  concerned, 
that  if  they  dare  to  publish  their  resolution  declaring  me  to 
be  odious,  1  will  teach  them  what  they  now  do  not  appear 
to  know — that  we  live  in  a  country  of  laws.  I  shall  not 
prosecute  them,  but  I  shall  indict  them,  for  the  offence,  and 
I  hope  this  is  plainly  expressed.” 

Aristabulus  stood  aghast !  To  indict  the  public  was  a 
step  he  had  never  heard  of  before,  and  he  began  to  perceive 
that  the  question  actually  had  two  sides.  Still,  his  awe 
of  public  meetings,  and  his  habitual  regard  for  popularity, 
induced  him  not  to  give  up  the  matter  without  another 
struggle. 

‘  ‘  They  have  already  ordered  their  proceedings  to  be  pub¬ 
lished,  Mr.  Effingham,”  he  said,  as  if  such  an  order  were 
not  to  be  countermanded. 

“  I  fancy,  sir,  that  when  it  comes  to  the  issue,  and  the 
penalties  of  a  prosecution  present  themselves,  their  leaders 
will  begin  to  recollect  their  individuality,  and  to  think  less 
of  their  public  character.  They  who  hunt  in  droves,  like 
wolves,  are  seldom  very  valiant  when  singled  out  from  their 
pack.  The  end  will  show.” 

‘  ‘  I  heartily  wish  this  unpleasant  affair  might  be  a  inicably 
settled,”  added  Aristabulus. 

“  One  might,  indeed,  fancy  so,”  observed  John  Effingham, 
“  since  no  one  likes  to  be  persecuted.” 

“  But,  Mr.  John,  the  public  thinks  itself  persecuted  in  this 
affair.” 

“The  term,  as  applied  to  a  body  that  not  only  makes, 
but  which  executes  the  law,  is  so  palpably  absurd,  that  I  am 
surprised  any  man  can  presume  to  use  it.  But,  Mr.  Bragg, 
you  have  seen  documents  that  cannot  err,  and  know  that 
the  public  has  not  the  smallest  right  to  this  bit  of  land.” 

“  All  very  true,  sir  ;  but  you  will  please  to  remember,  that 
the  people  do  not  know  what  I  now  know.  ’  ’ 

“  And  you  will  please  to  remember,  sir,  that  when  people 
choose  to  act  affirmatively,  in  so  high-handed  a  manner  as 
this,  they  are  bound  to  know  what  they  are  about.  Igno- 


Ihome  as  ffounfc 


221 


ranee  in  such  a  matter,  is  like  the  drunkard’s  plea  of  intox¬ 
ication  ;  it  merely  makes  the  offence  worse.” 

“  Do  you  not  think,  Mr.  John,  that  Mr.  Effingham  might 
have  acquainted  these  citizens  with  the  real  state  of  the 
case  ?  Are  the  people  so  very  wrong  that  they  have  fallen 
into  a  mistake  ?  ” 

“  Since  you  ask  this  question  plainly,  Mr.  Bragg,  it  shall 
be  answered  with  equal  sincerity.  Mr.  Effingham  is  a  man 
of  mature  years  ;  the  known  child,  executor,  and  heir  of  one 
who,  it  is  admitted  all  round,  was  the  master  of  the  contro¬ 
verted  propert}^.  Knowing  his  own  business,  this  Mr.  Ef¬ 
fingham,  in  sight  of  the  grave  of  his  fathers,  beneath  the 
paternal  roof,  has  the  intolerable  impudence — ” 

‘‘Arrogance  is  the  word,  Jack,”  said  Mr.  Effingham, 
smiling. 

Ay,  the  intolerable  arrogance  to  suppose  that  his  own 
is  his  own  ;  and  this  he  dares  to  affirm,  without  having  had 
the  politeness  to  send  his  title-deeds  and  private  papers 
round  to  those  who  have  been  so  short  a  time  in  the  place, 
that  they  might  well  know  everything  that  has  occurred  in 
it  for  the  last  half  century.  O  thou  naughty,  arrogant  fel¬ 
low,  Ned  !  ” 

‘‘Mr.  John,  you  appear  to  forget  that  the  public  has 
more  claims  to  be  treated  with  attention  than  a  single 
individual.  If  it  has  fallen  into  error,  it  ought  to  be  un¬ 
deceived.” 

“  No  doubt,  sir  ;  and  I  advise  Mr.  Effingham  to  send  you, 
his  agent,  to  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  the  county, 
with  the  patent  of  the  king,  all  the  mesne  conveyances  and 
wills,  in  your  pocket,  in  order  that  you  may  read  them  at 
length  to  each  individual,  with  a  view  that  every  man, 
woman,  and  child  may  be  satisfied  that  he  or  she  is  not  the 
owner  of  Edward  Effingham’s  lands  !  ” 

‘‘  Nay,  sir,  a  shorter  process  might  be  adopted.” 

“It  might,  indeed,  sir,  and  such  a  process  has  been 
adopted  by  my  cousin,  in  giving  the  usual  notice,  in  the 
newspaper,  against  trespassing.  But,  Mr.  Bragg,  you  must 
know  that  I  took  great  pains,  three  years  since,  when  re¬ 
pairing  this  house,  to  correct  the  mistake  on  this  very  point, 


222 


Ibome  as  gornb 


into  which  I  found  that  your  immaculate  public  had  fallen, 
through  its  disposition  to  know  more  of  other  people’s  affairs 
than  those  concerned  knew  of  themselves.” 

Aristabulus  said  no  more,  but  gave  the  matter  up  in  de¬ 
spair.  On  quitting  the  house,  he  proceeded  forthwith  to 
inform  those  most  interested  of  the  determination  of  Mr. 
Effingham  not  to  be  trampled  on  by  any  pretended  meeting 
of  the  public.  Common-sense,  not  to  say  common  honesty, 
began  to  resume  its  sway,  and  prudence  put  in  its  plea,  by 
way  of  applying  the  corrective.  Both  he  and  Mr.  Dodge, 
however,  agreed  that  there  was  an  unheard-of  temerity  in 
thus  resisting  the  people,  and  this  too  without  a  commensu¬ 
rate  object,  as  the  pecuniary  value  of  the  disputed  Point  was 
of  no  material  consequence  to  either  party. 

The  reader  is  not  by  any  means  to  suppose  that  Arista¬ 
bulus  Bragg  and  Steadfast  Dodge  belonged  to  the  same  va¬ 
riety  of  the  human  species,  in  consequence  of  their  unity  of 
sentiment  in  this  affair,  and  certain  other  general  points  of 
resemblance  in  their  manner  and  modes  of  thinking.  As  a 
matter  of  necessity,  each  partook  of  those  features  of  caste, 
condition,  origin,  and  association,  that  characterize  their 
particular  set ;  but  when  it  came  to  the  nicer  distinctions 
that  mark  true  individuality,  it  would  not  have  been  easy  to 
find  two  men  more  essentially  different  in  character.  The 
first  was  bold,  morally  and  physically,  aspiring,  self-possessed, 
shrewd,  singularly  adapted  to  succeed  in  his  schemes  where 
he  knew  the  parties,  intelligent  after  his  tastes,  and  apt. 
Had  it  been  his  fortune  to  be  thrown  earlier  into  a  better 
sphere,  the  same  natural  qualities  that  rendered  him  so  ex¬ 
pert  in  his  present  situation,  would  have  conduced  to  his 
improvement,  and  most  probably  would  have  formed  a  gen¬ 
tleman,  a  scholar,  and  one  who  could  have  contributed 
largely  to  the  welfare  and  tastes  of  his  fellow-creatures.  That 
such  was  not  his  fate,  was  more  his  misfortune  than  his  fault, 
for  his  plastic  character  had  readily  taken  the  impression  of 
those  things  that  from  propinquity  alone  pressed  hardest  on 
it.  On  the  other  hand,  Steadfast  was  a  hypocrite  by  na¬ 
ture,  cowardly,  envious,  and  malignant  ;  and  circumstances 
had  only  lent  their  aid  to  the  natural  tendencies  of  his  dis- 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


223 


position.  That  two  men  so  differently  constituted  at  their 
births,  should  meet,  as  it  might  be,  in  a  common  centre,  in 
so  many  of  their  habits  and  opinions,  was  merely  the  result 
of  accident  and  education. 

Among  the  other  points  of  resemblance  between  these  two 
persons,  was  that  fault  of  confounding  the  cause  with  the 
effects  of  the  peculiar  institutions  under  which  they  had 
been  educated  and  lived.  Because  the  law  gave  to  the  pub-" 
lie  that  authority  which,  under  other  systems,  is  intrusted 
either  to  one  or  to  the  few,  they  believed  the  public  was  in¬ 
vested  with  far  more  power  than  a  right  understanding  of 
their  own  principles  would  have  shown.  In  a  word,  both 
these  persons  made  a  mistake  which  is  getting  to  be  too 
common  in  America,  that  of  supposing  the  institutions  of 
the  country  were  all  means  and  no  end.  Under  this  erro¬ 
neous  impression  they  saw  only  the  machinery  of  the  gov¬ 
ernment,  becoming  entirely  forgetful  that  the  power  which 
was  given  to  the  people  collectively,  was  only  so  given  to 
secure  to  them  as  perfect  a  liberty  as  possible,  in  their  char¬ 
acters  of  individuals.  Neither  had  risen  sufficiently  above 
vulgar  notions,  to  understand  that  public  opinion,  in  order 
to  be  omnipotent,  or  even  formidable  beyond  the  inflictions 
of  the  moment,  must  be  right  ;  and  that  if  a  solitary  man 
renders  himself  contemptible  by  taking  up  false  notions  in¬ 
considerately  and  unjustly,  bodies  of  men,  falling  into  the 
same  error,  incur  the  same  penalties,  with  the  additional 
stigma  of  having  acted  as  cowards. 

There  was  also  another  common  mistake  into  which 
Messrs.  Bragg  and  Dodge  had  permitted  themselves  to  fall, 
thiough  the  want  of  a  proper  distinction  between  principles. 
Resisting  the  popular  will,  on  the  part  of  an  individual,  they 
considered  arrogance  and  aristocracy,  per  se,  without  at  all 
entering  into  the  question  of  the  right  or  the  wrong.  The 
people,  rightly  enough  in  the  general  signification  of  the 
term,  they  deemed  to  be  sovereign  ;  and  they  belonged  to 
a  numerous  class,  who  view  disobedience  to  the  sovereign  in 
a  democracy,  although  it  be  in  his  illegal  caprices,  very 

much  as  the  subject  of  a  despot  views  disobedience  to  his 
prince. 


224 


ibome  as  ffounb 


It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  Mr.  Kffinghatn  and 
his  cousin  viewed  these  matters  differently.  Clear-headed, 
just-minded,  and  liberal  in  all  his  practices,  the  former,  in 
particular,  was  greatly  pained  by  the  recent  occurrence  ;  and 
he  paced  his  library  in  silence,  for  several  minutes  after  Mr. 
Bragg  and  his  companion  had  withdrawn,  really  too  much 
grieved  to  speak. 

“This  is  altogether  a  most  extraordinary  procedure, 
John,”  he  at  length  observed,  “  and  it  strikes  me  that  it  is 
but  an  indifferent  reward  for  the  liberality  with  which  I 
have  permitted  others  to  use  my  property  these  thirty  years  ; 
often,  very  often,  as  you  well  know,  to  my  own  discomfort, 
and  to  that  of  my  friends.” 

“I  have  told  you,  Ned,  that  you  were  not  to  expect  the 
America  on  your  return,  that  you  left  behind  you  on  youl 
departure  for  Kurope.  I  insist  that  no  country  has  so  much 
altered  for  the  worse  in  so  short  a  time. 

^  “That  unequalled  pecuniary  prosperity  should  sensibly 
impair  the  manners  of  what  is  termed  the  world,  by  intro¬ 
ducing  suddenly  large  bodies  of  uninstructed  and  untrained 
men  and  women  into  society,  is  a  natural  consequence  ox 
obvious  causes  ;  that  it  should  corrupt  morals  even,  we  have 
a  right  to  expect,  for  we  are  taught  to  believe  it  the  most 
corrupting  influence  under  which  men  can  live  ;  but  I  con¬ 
fess  I  did  not  expect  to  see  the  day  when  a  body  of  strangers, 
birds  of  passage,  creatures  of  an  hour,  should  assume  a 
riodit  to  call  on  the  old  and  long-established  inhabitants  of 
a  country  to  prove  their  claims  to  theii  possessions,  and 
,  this,  too,  in  an  unusual  and  unheard-of  manner,  under  the 
penalty  of  being  violently  deprived  of  them  !  ” 

“  Rong-established  !  ”  repeated  John  Kffingham,  laugh¬ 
ing  ;  ‘  ‘  what  do  you  term  long-established  ?  Have  you  not 
been  absent  a  dozen  years,  and  do  not  these  people  reduce 
everything  to  the  level  of  their  own  habits?  I  suppose, 
now,  you  fancy  you  can  go  to  Rome,  or  Jerusalem,  01  Con¬ 
stantinople,  and  remain  four  or  five  lustra,  and  then  come 
coolly  back  to  Templeton,  and,  on  taking  possession  of  this 
house  again,  call  yourself  an  old  resident?  ” 

“  I  certainly  do  suppose  1  have  that  right.  How  many 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


225 


English,  Russians,  and  Germans  did  we  meet  in  Italy,  the 
residents  of  years,  who  still  retained  all  their  natural  and 
social  rights  and  feelings  !  ” 

“Ay,  that  is  in  countries  where  society  is  permanent, 
and  men  get  accustomed  to  look  on  the  same  objects,  hear 
the  same  names,  and  see  the  same  faces  for  their  entire  lives. 
I  have  had  the  curiosity  to  inquire,  and  have  ascertained 
that  none  of  the  old,  permanent  families  have  been  active 
in  this  affair  of  the  Point,  but  that  all  the  clamor  has  been 
made  by  those  you  call  the  birds  of  passage.  But  what  of 
that  ?  These  people  fancy  everything  reduced  to  the  legal 
six  mouths  required  to  vote  ;  and  that  rotation  in  persons  is 
as  necessary  to  republicanism  as  rotation  in  office.” 

“Is  it  not  extraordinary  that  persons  who  can  know  so 
little  on  the  subject,  should  be  thus  indiscreet  and  positive  ?  ” 

“It  is  not  extraordinary  in  America.  Took  about  you, 
Ned,  and  you  will  see  adventurers  uppermost  everywhere  ; 
rn^the  government,  in  the  towns,  in  your  villages,  in  the 
country,  even.  We  are  a  nation  of  changes.  Much  of 
this,  I  admit,  is  the  fair  consequence  of  legitimate  causes,  as 
an  immense  region,  in  forest,  cannot  be  peopled  on  any 
other  conditions.  But  this  necessity  has  infected  the  entire 
national  character,  and  men  get  to  be  impatient  of  any  same¬ 
ness,  even  though  it  be  useful.  Everything  goes  to  confirm 
this  feeling,  instead  of  opposing  it.  The  constant  recur¬ 
rences  of  the  elections  accustom  men  to  changes  in  their 
public  functionaries  ;  the  great  increase  in  the  population 
brings  new  faces  ;  and  the  sudden  accumulations  of  property 
place  new  men  in  conspicuous  stations.  The  architecture  of 
the  country  is  barely  becoming  sufficiently  respectable  to  ren¬ 
der  it  desirable  to  preserve  the  buildings,  without  which  we 
shall  have  no  monuments  to  revere.  In  short,  everything 
contributes  to  produce  such  a  state  of  things,  painful  as  it 
may  be  to  all  of  any  feeling,  and  little  to  oppose  it.” 

“  You  color  highly,  Jack  ;  and  no  picture  loses  in  tints, 
in  being  retouched  by  you.” 

Took  into  the  first  paper  that  offers,  and  you  will  see 
the  young  men  of  the  country  hardily  invited  to  meet  by 
themselves,  to  consult  concerning  public  affairs,  as  if  they 


Ibome  as  tfou nb 


226 

were  impatient  of  the  counsels  and  experience  of  their 
fathers.  No  country  can  prosper  where  the  ordinary  mode 
of  transacting  the  business  connected  with  the  root  of  the 
government  commences  with  this  impiety.” 

“  This  is  a  disagreeable  feature  in  the  national  character, 
certainly  ;  but  you  must  remember  the  arts  employed  by 
the  designing,  to  practise  on  the  inexperienced. 

“  xiad  x  a  son  who  presumed  to  denounce  the  wisdom 
and  experience  of  his  father,  in  this  disrespectful  manner,  I 

would  disinherit  the  rascal  !  ” 

“Ah,  Jack,  bachelors’  children  are  notoriously  well  edu¬ 
cated  and  well  mannered.  We  will  hope,  however,  that 
time  will  bring  its  changes  also,  and  that  one  of  them  will 
be  a  greater  constancy  in  persons,  things,  and  the  affections. 

“  Time  will  bring  its  changes,  Ned  ;  but  all  of  them  that 
are  connected  with  individual  rights,  as  opposed  to  popular 
caprice  or  popular  interests,  are  likely  to  be  in  the  wrong 

direction.”  .  c 

‘  ‘  The  tendency  is  certainly  to  substitute  popularity  lor 

the  right,  but  we  must  take  the  good  with  the  bad.  .  Even 
you,  Jack,  would  not  exchange  this  popular  oppression  for 
any' other  system  under  which  you  have  lived.” 

“  I  don’t  know  that — I  don’t  know  that.  Of  all  tyranny, 

a  vulgar  tyranny  is  to  me  the  most  odious. 

“  You  used  to  admire  the  English  system,  but  I  think 
observation  has  lessened  your  particular  admiration  m  that 
quarter,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  smiling  in  a  way  that  his 
cousin  perfectly  understood. 

“  Harkee,  Ned,  we  all  take  up  false  notions  in  our  youth, 
and  this  was  one  of  mine  ;  but  of  the  two,  I  should  prefer 
the  cold,  dogged  domination  of  English  law,  with  its  fruits, 
the  heartlessness  of  a  sophistication  without  parallel,  to 
being  trampled  on  by  every  arrant  blackguard  that  may 
happen  to  traverse  this  valley  in  his  wanderings  after  dollars. 
There  is  one  thing  you  yourself  must  admit :  the  public  is  a 
little  too  apt  to  neglect  the  duties  it  ought  to  discharge,  and 
to  assume  duties  it  has  110  right  to  fulfill. 

This  remark  ended  the  discourse. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


“  Her  breast  was  a  brave  palace,  a  broad  street, 

Where  all  heroic,  ample  thoughts  did  meet, 

Where  nature  such  a  tenement  had  ta’en, 

That  other  souls,  to  hers,  dwell  in  a  lane.” 

John  Norton. 


THE  village  of  Templeton,  it  has  been  already  inti¬ 
mated,  was  a  miniature  town.  Although  it  con¬ 
tained  within  the  circle  of  its  houses,  half  a  dozen 
residences  with  grounds,  and  which  were  dignified 
with  names,  as  has  also  been  said,  it  did  not  cover  a  surface 
of  more  than  a  mile  square  ;  that  disposition  to  concentra¬ 
tion,  which  is  as  peculiar  to  an  American  town  as  the  dispo¬ 
sition  to  diffusion  is  peculiar  to  the  country  population,  and 
which  seems  almost  to  prescribe  that  a  private  dwelling 
shall  have  but  three  windows  in  front,  and  a  fagade  of 
twenty-five  feet,  having  presided  at  the  birth  of  this  spot, 
as  well  as  at  the  birth  of  so  many  of  its  predecessors  and 
contemporaries.  In  one  of  its  more  retired  streets  (for  Tern-  \ 
pleton  had  its  publicity  and  retirement,  the  latter  after  a  very 
village  fashion,  however),  dwelt  a  widow-bewitched  of  small 
worldly  means,  five  children,  and  of  great  capacity  for  cir¬ 
culating  intelligence.  Mrs.  Abbott,  for  so  was  this  demi- 
relict  called,  was  just  on  the  verge  of  what  is  termed  the 
“  good  society  ”  of  the  village,  the  most  uneasy  of  all  posi¬ 
tions  for  an  ambitious  and  ci-devant  pretty  woman  to  be 
placed  in.  She  had  not  yet  abandoned  the  hope  of  obtain¬ 
ing  a  divorce  and  its  suites  ;  was  singularly,  nay,  rabidly  de¬ 
vout,  if  we  may  coin  the  adverb  ;  in  her  own  eyes  she  was 
perfection,  in  those  of  her  neighbors  slightly  objectionable  ; 
and  she  was  altogether  a  droll,  and  by  no  means  an  unusual 


228 


Ifoonte  as  fownb 


compound  of  piety,  censoriousness,  charity,  proscription, 
gossip,  kindness,  meddling,  ill-nature,  and  decency. 

The  establishment  of  Mrs.  Abbott,  like  her  house,  was 
necessarily  very  small,  and  she  kept  no  servant  but  a  gill 
she  called  her  help— a  very  suitable  appellation,  by  the 
way,  as  they  did  the  most  of  the  work  of  the  menage  in 
common.  This  girl,  in  addition  to  cooking  and  washing, 
was  the  confidante  of  all  her  employer’s  wandering  notions 
of  mankind  in  general,  and  of  her  neighbors  in  particular  ; 
as  often  helping  her  mistress  in  circulating  her  comments 

on  the  latter,  as  in  anything  else. 

Mrs.  Abbot  knew  nothing  of  the  Kffinghams,  except  by 
a  hearsay  that  got  its  intelligence  from  her  own  school, 
being  herself  a  late  arrival  in  the  place.  She  had  selected 
Templeton  as  a  residence  on  account  of  its  cheapness,  and 
having  neglected  to  comply  with  the  forms  of  the  world,  by 
hesitating  about  making  the  customary  visit  to  the  Wigwam, 
she  began  to  resent,  in  her  spirit  at  least,  Kve  s  delicate 
forbearance  from  obtruding  herself,  where,  agreeably  to  all 
usage,  she  had  a  perfect  right  to  suppose  she  was  not 
desired.  It  was  in  this  spirit,  then,  that  she  sat  conversing 
with  Jenny,  as  the  maid-of-all-work  was  called,  the  morning 
after  the  conversation  related  in  the  last  chapter,  in  her  j 
snug  little  parlor,  sometimes  plying  her  needle,  and  oftener 
thrusting  her  head  out  of  a  window  which  commanded  a 
view  of  the  principal  street  of  the  place,  in  order  to  see 

what  her  neighbors  might  be  about. 

“  This  is  a  most  extraordinary  course  Mr.  Effingham  has 
taken  concerning  the  Point,”  said  Mrs.  Abbot,  and  I  do 
hope  the  people  will  bring  him  to  his  senses.  Why,  Jenny, 
the  public  has  used  that  place  ever  since  I  can  remember, 
and  I  have  now  lived  in  Templeton  quite  fifteen  months. 
What  can  induce  Mr.  Howel  to  go  so  often  to  that  barber’s 
shop,  which  stands  directly  opposite  the  parlor  windows 
of  Mrs.  Bennett?  One  would  think  the  man  was  all 

beard.” 

“  i  suppose  Mr.  Howel  gets  shaved  sometimes,”  said  the 
logical  Jenny. 

“  Ncrt  he  ;  or  if  he  does,  no  decent  man  would  think  oi 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


229 


posting  himself  before  a  lady’s  window  to  do  such  a  thing. 
Orlando  Furioso,”  calling  to  her  eldest  son,  a  boy  of  eleven, 
“  run  over  to  Mr.  Jones’  store  and  listen  to  what  the  people 
are  talking  about,  and  bring  me  back  the  news,  as  soon  as 
anything  worth  hearing  drops  from  anybody  ;  and  stop  as  you 
come  back,  my  son,  and  borrow  neighbor  Brown’s  gridiron. 
Jenny,  it  is  most  time  to  think  of  putting  over  the  potatoes.” 

“  Ma,”  cried  Orlando  Furioso,  from  the  front  door,  Mrs. 
Abbott  being  very  rigid  in  requiring  that  all  her  children 
should  call  her  “ma,”  being  so  much  behind  the  age  as 
actually  not  to  know  that  “mother”  had  got  to  be  much 
the  genteeler  term  of  the  two ;  ‘  ‘  111a,  ’  ’  roared  Orlando 
Furioso,  “  suppose  there  is  no  news  at  Mr.  Jones’  store  ?  ” 
“Then  go  to  the  nearest  tavern;  something  must  be 
stirring  this  fine  morning,  and  I  am  dying  to  know  what  it 
can  possibly  be.  Mind  you  bring  something  besides  the 
gridiron  back  with  you.  Hurry,  or  never  come  home  again 
as  long  as  you  live  !  As  I  was  saying,  Jenny,  the  right  of 
the  public,  which  is  our  right,  for  we  are  part  of  the  public, 
to  this  Point,  is  as  clear  as  day,  and  I  am  only  astonished 
at  the  impudence  of  Mr.  Effingham  in  pretending  to  deny 
it.  I  dare  say  his  French  daughter  has  put  him  up  to  it. 
They  say  she  is  monstrous  arrogant  !  ” 

“Is  Eve  Effingham  French?”  said  Jenny,  studiously 
avoiding  any  of  the  usual  terms  of  civility  and  propriety, 
by  way  of  showing  her  breeding;  “well,  I  had  always 
thought  her  nothing  but  Templeton-born  !  ” 

What  signifies  where  a  person  was  bom  ?  where  they 
live  is  the  essential  thing  ;  and  Eve  Effingham  has  lived  so 
long  in  France,  that  she  speaks  nothing  but  broken  English  ; 
and  Miss  Debby  told  me  last  week,  that  in  drawing  up  a 
subscription  paper  for  a  new  cushion  to  the  reading-desk  of 
her  people,  she  actually  spelt  ‘  charity  ’  ‘  carrotty.’  ” 

“Is  that  French,  Miss  Abbott?  ” 

“I  rather  think  it  is,  Jenny;  the  French  are  very  nig¬ 
gardly,  and  give  their  poor  carrots  to  live  on,  and  so  they 
have  adopted  the  word,  I  suppose.  You,  Byansy-Alzumy- 
Ann  [Bianca- Alzuma- Ann]  !  ” 

“  Marm  !  ” 


f>ome  as  tfounfc 


*3<> 

“  Byansy-Alzumy-Ann  !  who  taught  you  to  call  me  mann  ! 
Is  this  the  way  you  have  learned  your  catechism  ?  Say  ma, 
this  instant  !  ’  ’ 

“  Ma.” 

“Take  your  bonnet,  my  child,  and  run  down  to  Mrs. 
Wheaton’s  and  ask  her  if  anything  new  has  turned  up 
about  the  Point  this  morning  ;  and,  do  you  hear,  Byansy- 
Alzumy-Ann  Abbott — how  the  child  starts  away,  as  if  she 
were  sent  on  a  matter  of  life  and  death  !  ’  ’ 

“  Why,  ma,  I  want  to  hear  the  news,  too.” 

“Very  likely,  my  dear,  but  by  stopping  to  get  your 
errand,  you  may  learn  more  than  by  being  in  such  a  hurry. 
Stop  in  at  Mrs.  Green’s,  and  ask  how  the  people  liked  the 
lecture  of  the  strange  parson  last  evening — and  ask  her  if 
she  can  lend  me  a  watering-pot.  Now,  run,  and  be  back  as 
soon  as  possible.  Never  loiter  when  you  carry  news,  child.” 

“No  one  has  a  right  to  stop  the  mail,  I  believe,  Miss 
Abbott,”  putin  Jenny,  very  appositely. 

“  That,  indeed,  have  they  not,  or  else  we  could  not  cal¬ 
culate  the  consequences.  You  may  remember,  Jenny,  the 
pious,  even,  had  to  give  up  that  point,  public  convenience 
being  too  strong  for  them.  Roger-Demetrius-Benjamin  !  ” 
— calling  to  a  second  boy,  two  years  younger  than  his 
brother — “your  eyes  are  better  than  mine — who  are  all 
those  people  collected  together  in  the  street?  Is  not  Mr. 
Howel  among  them  ?  ’  ’ 

“I  do  not  know,  ma!”  answered  Roger-Demetrius- 
Benjamin,  gaping. 

“Then  run  this  minute  and  see,  and  don’t  stop  to  look 
for  your  hat.  As  you  come  back,  step  into  the  tailor’s 
shop  and  ask  if  your  new  jacket  is  most  done,  and  what 
the  news  is !  I  rather  think,  Jenny,  we  shall  find  out 
something  worth  hearing  in  the  course  of  the  day.  By  the 
way,  they  do  say  that  Grace  Van  Cortlandt,  Eve  Effing¬ 
ham’s  cousin,  is  under  concern.” 

“Well,  she  is  the  last  person  I  should  think  would  be 
troubled  about  anything,  for  everybody  says  she  is  so 
desperate  rich  she  might  eat  off  of  silver  if  she  liked  ;  and 
is  certain  of  being  married  some  time  or  other.” 


Ifoome  as  jfounfc> 


231 


‘‘That  ought  to  lighten  her  concern,  you  think.  Oh  !  it 
does  my  heart  good  when  I  see  any  of  those  flaunty  people 
right  well  exercised  !  Nothing  would  make  me  happier 
than  to  see  Eve  Effingham  groaning  fairly  in  the  spirit ! 
That  would  teach  her  to  take  away  the  people’s  Points.” 

“  But,  Miss  Abbott,  then  she  would  become  almost  as  good 
a  woman  as  you  are  yourself.” 

‘  ‘  I  am  a  miserable,  graceless,  awfully  wicked  sinner ! 
Twenty  times  a  day  do  I  doubt  whether  I  am  actually  con¬ 
verted  or  not.  Sin  has  got  such  a  hold  of  my  very  heart¬ 
strings,  that  I  sometimes  think  they  will  crack  before  it  lets 
go.  Rinaldo-Rinaldini-Timothy,  my  child,  do  you  toddle 
across  the  way,  and  give  my  compliments  to  Mrs.  Hulbert, 
and  inquire  if  it  be  true  that  young  Dickson,  the  lawyer,  is 
really  engaged  to  Aspasia  Tubbs  or  not?  and  borrow  a 
skimmer  or  a  tin  pot,  or  anything  you  can  carry,  for  we 
may  want  something  of  the  sort  in  the  course  of  the  day. 
I  do  believe,  Jenny,  that  a  worse  creature  than  myself  is 
hardly  to  be  found  in  Templeton.” 

‘‘Why,  Miss  Abbott,”  returned  Jenny,  who  had  heard 
too  much  of  this  self-abasement  to  be  much  alarmed  at  it, 

‘  ‘  this  is  giving  almost  as  bad  an  account  of  yourself  as  I 
heard  somebody,  that  I  won’t  name,  give  of  you  last  week.” 

“  And  who  is  your  somebody,  I  should  like  to  know?  I 
dare  say  one  no  better  than  a  formalist,  who  thinks  that 
reading  prayers  out  of  a  book,  kneeling,  bowing,  and  chang¬ 
ing  gowns,  is  religion!  Thank  Heaven,  I’m  pretty  indif¬ 
ferent  to  the  opinions  of  such  people.  Harkee,  Jenny,  if  I 
thought  I  was  no  better  than  some  persons  I  could  name,  I  ’d 
give  the  point  of  salvation  up  in  despair  !  ’  ’ 

“  Miss  Abbott,”  roared  a  ragged,  dirty-faced,  bare-footed 
boy,  who  entered  without  knocking,  and  stood  in  the  mid¬ 
dle  of  the  room,  with  his  hat  on,  with  a  suddenness  that 
denoted  great  readiness  in  entering  other  people’s  posses¬ 
sions  ;  ‘  ‘  Miss  Abbott,  ma  warnts  to  know  if  you  are  likely 
to  go  from  home  this  week  ?  ’  ’ 

Why,  what  in  nature  can  she  want  to  know  that  for, 
Ordeal  Bumgrum  ?  ’  ’  Mrs.  Abbott  pronounced  this  singular 
name,  however,  “  Ordeel.” 


232 


ttome  as  jfoun& 


“  O  !  she  warnts  to  know.” 

“So  do  I  warnt  to  know  ;  and  know  I  will.  Run  home 
this  instant,  and  ask  your  mother  why  she  has  sent  you 
here  with  this  message.  Jenny,  I  am  much  exercised  to 
find  out  the  reason  Mrs.  Bumgrum  should  have  sent  Ordeal 
over  with  such  a  question.” 

“I  did  hear  that  Miss  Bumgrum  intended  to  make  a 
journey  herself,  and  she  may  want  your  company.” 

“  Here  conies  Ordeal  back,  and  we  shall  soon  be  out  of 
the  clouds.  What  a  boy  that  is  for  errands  !  He  is  worth 
all  my  sons  put  together.  You  never  see  him  losing  time 
by  going  round  by  the  streets,  but  away  he  goes  over  the 
garden  fences  like  a  cat,  or  he  will  whip  through  a  house, 
if  standing  in  his  way,  as  if  he  were  its  owner,  should  the 
door  happen  to  be  open.  Well,  Ordeal  ?  ” 

But  Ordeal  was  out  of  breath,  and  although  Jenny  shook 
him,  as  if  to  shake  the  news  out  of  him,  and  Mrs.  Abbott 
actually  shook  her  fist,  in  her  impatience  to  be  enlightened, 
nothing  could  induce  the  child  to  speak  until  he  had  re¬ 
covered  his  wind. 

“  I  believe  he  does  it  on  purpose,”  said  the  provoked  maid. 

“  It ’s  just  like  him  !  ”  cried  the  mistress  ;  “the  very  best 
news-carrier  in  the  village  is  actually  spoilt  because  he  is 
thick- winded.” 

“  I  wish  folks  would  n’t  make  their  fences  so  high,”  Or¬ 
deal  exclaimed,  the  instant  he  found  breath.  “  I  can't  see 
of  what  use  it  is  to  make  a  fence  people  can’t  climb  !  ” 

“  What  does  your  mother  say  ?  ”  cried  Jenny,  repeating 
her  shake  con  amove. 

“  Ma  warnts  to  know,  Miss  Abbott,  if  you  don’t  intend  to 
use  it  yourself,  if  you  will  lend  her  your  name  for  a  few 
days  to  goto  Utica  with  ?  She  says  folks  don’t  treat  her 
half  as  well  when  she  is  called  Bumgrum  as  when  she  has 
another  name,  and  she  thinks  she’d  like  to  try  yours  this 
time.” 

“Is  that  all!  You  needn’t  have  been  so  hurried  about 
such  a  trifle,  Ordeal.  Give  my  compliments  to  y our  mother, 
and  tell  her  she  is  quite  welcome  to  my  name,  and  I  hope  it 
will  be  serviceable  to  her.” 


Ibome  as  ffoxmb 


233 


“She  says  she  is  willing  to  pay  for  the  use  of  it,  if  you 
will  tell  her  what  the  damage  will  be.” 

“  Oh  !  it ’s  not  wrorth  while  to  speak  of  such  a  trifle ;  I 
dare  say  she  will  bring  it  back  quite  as  good  as  when  she 
took  it  away.  I  am  no  such  unneighborly  or  aristocratical 
person  as  to  wish  to  keep  my  name  all  to  myself.  Tell 
your  mother  she  is  welcome  to  mine,  and  to  keep  it  as  long 
as  she  likes,  and  not  to  say  anything  about  pay  ;  I  may 
want  to  borrow  hers,  or  something  else,  one  of  these  days, 
though,  to  say  the  truth,  my  neighbors  are  apt  to  complain 
of  me  as  unfriendly  and  proud  for  not  borrowing  as  much 
as  a  good  neighbor  ought.” 

Ordeal  departed,  leaving  Mrs.  Abbott  in  some  such  con¬ 
dition  as  that  of  the  man  wTho  had  no  shadow.  A  rap  at 
the  door  interrupted  the  further  discussion  of  the  old  sub¬ 
ject,  and  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge  appeared  in  answer  to  the 
permission  to  enter.  Mr.  Dodge  and  Mrs.  Abbott  wrere 
congenial  spirits  in  the  way  of  news,  he  living  by  it,  and 
she  living  on  it. 

“  You  are  very  welcome,  Mr.  Dodge,”  the  mistress  of  the 
house  commenced.  ‘  ‘  I  hear  you  passed  the  day  yesterday 
up  at  the  Kffinghamses.” 

“Why,  yes,  Mrs.  Abbott,  the  Hfflnghams  insisted  on  it, 
and  I  could  not  wrell  get  over  the  sacrifice,  after  having 
been  their  shipmate  so  long.  Besides,  it  is  a  little  relief  to 
talk  French  when  one  has  been  so  long  in  the  daily  practice 
of  it.” 

‘  ‘  I  hear  there  is  company  at  the  house  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Two  of  our  fellow-travellers,  merely.  An  English  bar¬ 
onet,  and  a  young  man  of  wThom  less  is  known  than  one 
could  wish.  He  is  a  mysterious  person,  and  I  hate  mystery, 
Mrs.  Abbott.” 

“In  that,  then,  Mr.  Dodge,  you  and  I  are  alike.  I  think 
everything  should  be  known.  Indeed,  that  is  not  a  free 
country  in  which  there  are  any  secrets.  I  keep  nothing 
from  my  neighbors,  and,  to  own  the  truth,  I  do  not  like  my 
neighbors  to  keep  anything  from  me.” 

“  Then  you  ’ll  hardly  like  the  Effinghams,  for  I  never  yet 
met  with  a  more  close-mouthed  family.  Although  I  was  so 


234 


Ibotne  as  jfounfc 


long  in  the  ship  with  Miss  Eve,  I  never  heard  her  once 
speak  of  her  want  of  appetite,  of  seasickness,  or  of  any¬ 
thing  relating  to  her  ailings  even  ;  nor  can  you  imagine  how 
close  she  is  on  the  subject  of  the  beaux  ;  I  do  not  think  I 
ever  heard  her  use  the  word,  or  so  much  as  allude  to  any 
walk  or  ride  she  ever  took  with  a  single  man.  I  set  her 
down,  Mrs.  Abbott,  as  unqualifiedly  artful  !  ” 

“That  you  may  with  certainty,  sir,  for  there  is  no  more 
sure  sign  that  a  young  woman  is  all  the  while  thinking  of 
the  beaux  than  her  never  mentioning  them.” 

‘  ‘  That  I  believe  to  be  human  nature  ;  no  ingenuous  per¬ 
son  ever  thinks  much  of  the  particular  subject  of  conver¬ 
sation.  What  is  your  opinion,  Mrs.  Abbott,  of  the 
contemplated  match  at  the  Wigwam  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Match  !”  exclaimed  Mrs.  Abbott.  “What,  already! 
It  is  the  most  indecent  thing  I  ever  heard  of !  Why,  Mr. 
Dodge,  the  family  has  not  been  home  a  fortnight,  and  to 
think  so  soon  of  getting  married  !  It  is  quite  as  bad  as  a 
widower’s  marrying  within  the  month  !  ” 

Mrs.  Abbott  made  a  distinction,  habitually,  between  the 
cases  of  widowers  and  widows,  as  the  first,  she  maintained, 
might  get  married  whenever  they  pleased,  and  the  latter 
only  when  they  got  offers  ;  and  she  felt  just  that  sort  of  hor¬ 
ror  of  a  man’s  thinking  of  marrying  too  soon  after  the  death 
of  his  wife,  as  might  be  expected  in  one  who  actually 
thought  of  a  second  husband  before  the  first  was  dead. 

“  Why,  yes,”  returned  Steadfast,  “  it  is  a  little  premature, 
perhaps,  though  they  have  been  long  acquainted.  Still,  as 
you  say,  it  would  be  more  decent  to  wait  and  see  what  may 
turn  up  in  a  country,  that,  to  them,  may  be  said  to  be  a 
foreign  land.” 

“  But  who  are  the  parties,  Mr.  Dodge  ?  ” 

“  Miss  Eve  Effingham  and  Mr.  John  Effingham.” 

“Mr.  John  Effingham!”  exclaimed  the  lady  who  had 
lent  her  name  to  a  neighbor,  aghast,  for  this  was  knocking 
one  of  her  own  day-dreams  in  the  head  ;  “well,  this  is  too 
much  !  But  he  shall  not  marry  her,  sir ;  the  law  will  pre¬ 
vent  it,  and  we  live  in  a  country  of  laws.  A  man  cannot 
marry  his  own  niece.” 


Ibome  as  fomb 


235 


“_It  is  excessively  improper,  and  ought  to  be  put  a  stop 
to.  And  yet  these  Effinghams  do  very  much  as  they 


“  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  that ;  they  are  extremely  dis¬ 
agreeable?  ”  said  Mrs.  Abbott,  with  a  look  of  eager  inquiry 
as  if  afraid  the  answer  might  be  in  the  negative. 

“As  much  so  as  possible  ;  they  have  hardly  a  way  that 
you  would  like,  my  dear  ma’am  ;  and  areas  close-mouthed 
as  if  they  were  afraid  of  committing  themselves.” 

“Desperate  bad  news-carriers,  I  am  told,  Mr.  Dodge. 
There  is  Dorindy  [Dorinda]  Mudge,  who  was  employed 
there  by  Kve  and  Grace  one  day  ;  she  tells  me  she  tried  all 
.she  could  to  get  them  to  talk,  by  speaking  of  the  most 
common  things  ;  things  that  one  of  my  children  knew  all 
about,  such  as  the  affairs  of  the  neighborhood,  and  how 
people  are  getting  on  ;  and  though  they  would  listen  a  little, 
and  that  is  something,  I  admit,  not  a  syllable  could  she  get 
in  the  way  of  answer  or  remark.  She  tells  me  that  several 
times  she  had  a  mind  to  quit,  for  it  is  monstrous  unpleasant 
to  associate  with  your  tongue-tied  folks.” 

“  I  dare  say  Miss  Effingham  could  throw  out  a  hint  now 
and  then,  concerning  the  voyage  and  her  late  fellow-travel¬ 
lers  ?  ’  ’  said  Steadfast,  casting  an  uneasy  glance  at  his  com¬ 
panion. 

“  Not  she.  Dorindy  maintains  that  it  is  impossible  to 
get  a  sentiment  out  of  her  concerning  a  single  fellow-crea¬ 
ture.  When  she  talked  of  the  late  unpleasant  affair  of  poor 
neighbor  Bronson’s  family — a  melancholy  transaction  that, 
Mr.  Dodge,  and  I  shouldn’t  wonder  if  it  went  to  nigh  break 
Mrs.  Bronson’s  heart — but  when  Dorindy  mentioned  this, 
which  is  bad  enough  to  stir  the  sensibility  of  a  frog,  neither 
of  my  young  ladies  replied,  or  put  a  single  question.  In 
this  respect  Grace  is  as  bad  as  Eve,  and  Eve  is  as  bad  as 
Grace,  they  say.  Instead  of  so  much  as  seeming  to  wish 
to  know  any  more,  what  does  my  Miss  Eve  do,  but  turn  to 
some  daubs  of  paintings,  and  point  out  to  her  cousin  what 
she  was  pleased  to  term  peculiarities  in  Swiss  usages.  Then 
the  two  hussies  would  talk  of  nature,  ‘  our  beautiful  na¬ 
ture,’  Dorindy  says  Eve  had  the  impudence  to  call  it,  and  as 


2  36 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


if  human  nature  and  its  failings  and  backslidings  were  not 
a  fitter  subject  for  a  young  woman’s  discourse,  than  a  silly 
conversation  about  lakes,  and  rocks,  and  trees,  as  if  she 
owned  the  nature  about  Templeton.  It  is  my  opinion,  Mr. 
Dodge,  that  downright  ignorance  is  at  the  bottom  of  it  all, 
for  Dorindy  says  that  they  actually  know  no  more  of  the 
intricacies  of  the  neighborhood  than  if  they  lived  in  Japan.” 

‘  ‘  All  pride,  Mrs.  Abbott — rank  pride.  They  feel  them¬ 
selves  too  great  to  enter  into  the  minutiae  of  common  folks’ 
concerns.  I  often  tried  Miss  Effingham,  coming  from  Eng¬ 
land  ;  and  things  touching  private  interests,  that  I  know 
she  did  and  must  understand,  she  always  disdainfully  re¬ 
fused  to  enter  into.  Oh  !  she  is  a  real  Tartar  in  her  way ; 
and  what  she  does  not  wish  to  do,  you  never  can  make  her 
do  !  ” 

‘  ‘  Have  you  heard  that  Grace  is  under  concern  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Not  a  breath  of  it  ;  under  whose  preaching  was  she  sit¬ 
ting,  Mrs.  Abbott  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you  ;  not  under  the  Church 
parson’s,  I  ’ll  engage  ;  no  one  ever  heard  of  a  real,  active, 
regenerating,  soul-reviving,  spirit-groaning,  and  fruit-yield¬ 
ing  conversion  under  his  ministry.” 

“  No  ;  there  is  very  little  unction  in  that  persuasion  gen¬ 
erally.  How  cold  and  apathetic  they  are  in  these  soul¬ 
stirring  times  !  Not  a  sinner  has  been  writhing  on  their 
floor,  I  ’ll  engage,  nor  a  wretch  transferred  into  a  saint,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  by  that  parson.  Well,  we  have 
every  reason  to  be  grateful,  Mrs.  Abbott.” 

“That  we  have,  for  most  glorious  have  been  our  privi¬ 
leges  !  To  be  sure,  that  is  a  .sinful  pride  that  can  puff  up 
a  wretched,  sinful  being  like  Eve  Effingham  to  such  a  pass 
of  conceit,  as  to  induce  her  to  think  she  is  raised  above 
thinking  of  and  taking  an  interest  in  the  affairs  of  her 
neighbors.  Now,  for  my  part,  conversion  has  so  far  opened 
my  heart,  that  I  do  actually  feel  as  if  I  wanted  to  know  all 
about  the  meanest  creature  in  Templeton.” 

“  That ’s  the  true  spirit,  Mrs.  Abbott  ;  stick  to  that,  and 
3rour  redemption  is  secure.  I  onl}7  edit  a  newspaper  by  way 
of  showing  an  interest  in  mankind.” 


Ibome  as  jfoun& 


237 


<  < 


I  hope,  Mr.  Dodge,  the  press  does  not  mean  to  let  this  ;  <7 


r- 


SL,- 


matter  of  the  Point  sleep  ;  the  press  is  the  true  guardian  of 
the  public  rights,  and  I  can  tell  you  the  whole  community  <'K 


looks  to  it  for  support  in  this  crisis.” 

‘‘We  shall  not  fail  to  do  our  duty,”  said  Mr.  Dodge, 
looking  over  his  shoulder,  and  speaking  lower.  ‘‘What! 
shall  one  insignificant  individual,  who  has  not  a  single  right 
above  that  of  the  meanest  citizen  in  the  county,  oppress  this 
great  and  powerful  community  !  What  if  Mr.  Effingham 
does  own  this  point  of  land — '  ’ 

‘‘But  he  does  not  own  it,”  interrupted  Mrs.  Abbott. 

‘  ‘  Ever  since  I  have  known  Templeton  the  public  has  owned 
it.  The  public,  moreover,  says  it  owns  it,  and  what  the 
public  says  in  this  happy  country  is  law.  ’  ’ 

“  But,  allowing  that  the  public  does  not  own — ” 

“  It  does  own  it,  Mr.  Dodge,”  the  nameless  repeated  pos¬ 
itively. 

“  Well,  ma’am,  own  or  no  own,  this  is  not  a  country  in 
which  the  press  ought  to  be  silent,  when  a  solitary  individual 
undertakes  to  trample  on  the  public.  Leave  that  matter  to 
us,  Mrs.  Abbott  ;  it  i$  in  good  hands,  and  shall  be  well 
taken  care  of.” 

‘‘I’m  piously  glad  of  it !  ” 

“I  mention  this  to  you  as  to  a  friend,”  continued  Mr. 
Dodge,  cautiously  drawing  from  his  pocket  a  manuscript, 
which  he  prepared  to  read  to  his  companion,  who  sat  with 
a  devouring  curiosity,  readj^  to  listen. 

The  manuscript  of  Mr.  Dodge  contained  a  professed  ac¬ 
count  of  the  affair  of  the  Point.  It  was  written  obscurely, 
and  was  not  without  its  contradictions,  but  the  imagination 
of  Mrs.  Abbott  supplied  all  the  vacuums,  and  reconciled  all 
the  contradictions.  The  article  was  so  liberal  of  its  profes¬ 
sions  of  contempt  for  Mr.  Effingham,  that  every  rational 
man  was  compelled  to  wonder  why  a  quality  that  is  usually 
so  passive,  should  in  this  particular  instance  be  aroused  to 
so  sudden  and  violent  activity.  In  the  way  of  facts  not  one 
was  faithfully  stated ;  and  there  were  several  deliberate, 
unmitigated  falsehoods,  which  went  essentially  to  color  the 
whole  account. 


-t. 


238 


Dome  as  ffounfc 


“  I  think  this  will  answer  the  purpose,”  said  Steadfast, 

‘  ‘  and  we  have  taken  means  to  see  that  it  shall  be  well  cir¬ 
culated.” 

“This  will  do  them  good  !”  cried  Mrs.  Abbott,  almost 
breathless  with  delight.  ‘  ‘  I  hope  folks  will  believe  it.  ’  ’ 

“No  fear  of  that.  If  it  were  a  party  thing,  now,  one 
half  would  believe  it,  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  the  other 
half  would  not  believe  it,  as  a  matter  of  course  ;  but  in  a 
private  matter,  Lord  bless  you,  ma’am,  people  are  always 
ready  to  believe  anything  that  will  give  them  something  to 
talk  about.” 

Here  the  tete-a-tete  was  interrupted  by  the  return  of  Mrs. 
Abbott’s  different  messengers,  all  of  whom,  unlike  the  dove 
sent  forth  from  the  ark,  brought  back  something  in  the 
way  of  hopes.  The  Point  was  a  general  theme,  and  though 
the  several  accounts  flatly  contradicted  each  other,  Mrs. 
Abbott,  in  the  general  benevolence  of  her  pious  heart,  found 
the  means  to  extract  corroboration  of  her  wishes  from 
each. 

Mr.  Dodge  was  as  good  as  his  word,  and  the  account  ap¬ 
peared.  The  press,  throughout  the  country,  seized  with 
avidity  on  anything  that  helped  to  fill  its  columns.  No  one 
appeared  disposed  to  inquire  into  the  truth  of  the  account, 
or  after  the  character  of  the  original  authority.  It  was  in 
print,  and  that  struck  the  great  majority  of  the  editors  and 
their  readers,  as  a  sufficient  sanction.  Few,  indeed,  were 
they  who  lived  so  much  under  a  proper  self-control  as  to 
hesitate  ;  and  this  rank  injustice  was  done  a  private  citizen, 
as  much  without  moral  restraint  as  without  remorse,  by 
those  who,  to  take  their  own  accounts  of  the  matter,  were 
the  regular  and  habitual  champions  of  human  rights  ! 

John  Effingham  pointed  out  this  extraordinary  scene  of 
reckless  wrong  to  his  wondering  cousin,  with  the  cool  sar¬ 
casm  with  which  he  was  apt  to  assail  the  weaknesses  and 
crimes  of  the  country.  His  firmness,  united  to  that  of  his 
cousin,  however,  put  a  stop  to  the  publication  of  the  resolu¬ 
tions  of  Aristabulus’  meeting,  and  when  a  sufficient  time 
had  elapsed  to  prove  that  these  prurient  denouncers  of  their 
fellow-citizens  had  taken  wit  in  their  anger,  he  procured 


Ibome  as  3foun5 


239 


them,  and  had  them  published  himself,  as  the  most  effectual 
means  of  exposing  the  real  character  of  the  senseless  mob, 
that  had  thus  disgraced  liberty,  by  assuming  its  professions 
and  its  usages. 

To  an  observer  of  men,  the  end  of  this  affair  presented 
several  strong  points  for  comment.  As  soon  as  the  truth  be¬ 
came  generally  known  in  reference  to  the  real  ownership, 
and  the  public  came  to  ascertain  that  instead  of  hitherto  pos¬ 
sessing  a  right,  it  had,  in  fact,  been  merely  enjoying  a  favor, 
those  who  had  committed  themselves  by  their  arrogant 
assumptions  of  facts,  and  their  indecent  outrages,  fell  back 
on  their  self-love,  and  began  to  find  excuses  for  their  conduct 
in  that  of  the  other  party.  Mr.  Effingham  was  loudly  con¬ 
demned  for  not  having  done  the  very  thing  he,  in  truth,  had 
done,  namely,  telling  the  public  it  did  not  own  his  property  ; 
and  when  this  was  shown  to  be  an  absurdity,  the  complaint 
followed  that  what  he  had  done,  had  been  done  in  precisely 
such  a  mode,  although  it  was  the  mode  constantly  used  by 
every  one  else.  From  these  vague  and  indefinite  accusa¬ 
tions,  those  most  implicated  in  the  wrong  began  to  deny  all 
their  own  original  assertions,  by  insisting  that  they  had 
known  all  along  that  Mr.  Effingham  owned  the  property, 
but  they  did  not  choose  he  or  any  other  man  should  pre¬ 
sume  to  tell  them  what  they  knew  already.  In  short,  the 
end  of  this  affair  exhibited  human  nature  in  its  usual  aspects 
of  prevarication,  untruth,  contradiction,  and  inconsistency, 
notwithstanding  the  high  profession  of  liberty  made  by 
those  implicated  ;  and  they  who  had  been  the  most  guilty 
of  wrong,  were  loudest  in  their  complaints,  as  if  they  alone 
had  suffered. 

“  This  is  not  exhibiting  the  country  to  us,  certainly,  after 
so  long  an  absence,  in  its  best  appearance,  ’  ’  said  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham,  “  I  must  admit,  John  ;  but  error  belongs  to  all  regions, 
and  to  all  classes  of  institutions.” 

“  Ay,  Ned,  make  the  best  of  it,  as  usual  ;  but,  if  you  do 
not  come  round  to  my  way  of  thinking,  before  you  are  a 
twelvemonth  older,  I  shall  renounce  prophesying.  I  wish 
we  could  get  at  the  bottom  of  Miss  Effingham’s  thoughts, 
on  this  occasion.” 


240 


ifrome  as  jfounb 


“Miss  Effingham  has  been  -  grieved,  disappointed,  nay, 
shocked,”  said  Eve,  “but  still  she  will  not  despair  of  the 
republic.  None  of  our  respectable  neighbors,  in  the  first 
place,  have  shared  in  this  transaction,  and  that  is  something  ; 
though  I  confess  I  feel  some  surprise  that  any  considerable 
portion  of  a  community,  that  respects  itself,  should  quietly 
allow  an  ignorant  fragment  of  its  own  numbers  to  misrepre¬ 
sent  it  so  grossly,  in  an  affair  that  so  nearly  touches  its  own 
character  for  common-sense  and  justice.” 

“You  have  yet  to  learn,  Miss  Effingham,  that  men  can 
get  to  be  so  saturated  with  liberty,  that  they  become  insensi¬ 
ble  to  the  nicer  feelings.  The  grossest  enormities  are  con¬ 
stantly  committed  in  this  good  republic  of  ours,  under  the 
pretence  of  being  done  by  the  public,  and  for  the  public. 
The  public  have  got  to  bow  to  that  bugbear,  quite  as  submis¬ 
sively  as  Gesler  could  have  wished  the  Swiss  to  bow  to  his 
own  cap,  as  to  the  cap  of  Rodolph’s  substitute.  Men  will  have 
idols,  and  the  Americans  have  merely  set  up  themselves.” 

“And  yet,  cousin  Jack,  you  would  be  wretched  were  you 
doomed  to  live  under  a  system  less  free.  I  fear  you  have  the 
affectation  of  sometimes  saying  that  which  you  do  not  exactly 
feel.” 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


“  Come,  these  are  no  times  to  think  of  dreams — 

We  ’ll  talk  of  dreams  hereafter.” 

Shakespeare. 

THE  day  succeeding  that  in  which  the  conversation 
just  mentioned  occurred,  was  one  of  great  expec¬ 
tation  and  delight  in  the  Wigwam.  Mrs.  Hawker 
and  the  Bloomfields  were  expected,  and  the  inorm 
ing  passed  away  rapidly,  under  the  gay  buoyancy  of  the 
feelings  that  usually  accompany  such  anticipations  in  a  coun¬ 
try-house.  The  travellers  were  to  leave  town  the  previous 
evening,  and,  though  the  distance  was  near  two  hundred  and 
thirty  miles,  they  were  engaged  to  arrive  at  the  usual  dinner 
hour.  In  speed,  the  Americans,  so  long  as  they  follow  the 
great  routes,  are  unsurpassed  ;  and  even  Sir  George  Temple- 
more,  coming,  as  he  did,  from  a  country  of  macadamized 
roads  and  excellent  posting,  expressed  his  surprise,  when 
given  to  understand  that  a  journey  of  this  length,  near  a 
hundred  miles  of  which  were  by  land  moreover,  was  to  be 
performed  in  twenty-four  hours,  the  stops  included. 

“One  particularly  likes  this  rapid  travelling,”  he  re¬ 
marked,  “when  it  is  to  bring  us  such  friends  as  Mrs. 
Hawker.  ’  ’ 

“  And  Mrs.  Bloomfield,”  added  Eve,  quickly.  “  I  rest  the 
credit  of  the  American  females  on  Mrs.  Bloomfield.” 

More  so  than  on  Mrs.  Hawker,  Miss  Effingham  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Not  in  all  that  is  amiable,  respectable,  feminine,  and  lady¬ 
like  ;  but  certainly  more  so  in  the  way  of  mind.  I  know, 
Sir  George  Templemore,  as  a  European,  what  your  opinion 
is  of  our  sex  in  this  country.” 


Ibome  as  jFounb 


242 

“  Good  Heaven,  my  dear  Miss  Effingham  !  My  opinion, 
of  your  sex,  in  America  !  It  is  impossible  for  any  one  to 
entertain  a  higher  opinion  of  your  countrywomen — as  I  hope 
to  show — as,  I  trust,  my  respect  and  admiration  have  always 
proved  ;  nay,  Powis,  you,  as  an  American,  will  exonerate 
me  from  this  want  of  taste — judgment — feeling — ” 

Paul  laughed,  but  told  the  embarrassed  and  really  dis¬ 
tressed  baronet,  that  he  should  leave  him  in  the  very  excel¬ 
lent  hands  into  which  he  had  fallen. 

“  You  see  that  bird,  that  is  sailing  so  prettily  above  the 
roofs  of  the  village,”  said  Eve,  pointing  with  her  parasol  in 
the  direction  she  meant ;  for  the  three  were  walking  together 
on  the  little  lawn,  in  waiting  for  the  appearance  of  the  ex¬ 
pected  guests  ;  ‘  ‘  and  I  dare  sa}^  you  are  ornithologist  enough 
to  tell  its  vulgar  name.  ’  ’ 

“  You  are  in  the  humor  to  be  severe  this  morning;  the 
bird  is  but  a  common  swallow.” 

‘  ‘  One  of  which  will  not  make  a  summer,  as  every  one 
knows.  Our  cosmopolitism  is  already  forgotten,  and  with 
it,  I  fear,  our  frankness.” 

“Since  Powis  has  hoisted  his  national  colors,  I  do  not 
feel  as  free  on  such  subjects  as  formerly,”  returned  Sir 
George,  smiling.  “  When  I  thought  I  had  a  secret  ally  in 
him,  I  was  not  afraid  to  concede  a  little  in  such  things,  but 
his  avowal  of  his  country  has  put  me  on  my  guard.  In  no 
case,  however,  shall  I  admit  my  insensibility  to  the  qualities 
of  your  countrywomen.  Powis,  as  a  native,  may  take  that 
liberty  ;  but,  as  for  myself,  I  shall  insist  they  are  at  least  the 
equals  of  any  females  that  I  know.” 

“  In  naivete ,  prettiness,  delicacy  of  appearance,  simplicity, 
and  sincerity — ’  ’ 

“In  sincerity,  think  you,  dear  Miss  Effingham?  ” 

“  In  sincerity,  above  all  things,  dear  Sir  George  Temple- 
more.  Sincerity— nay,  frankness— is  the  last  quality  I  should 
think  of  denying  them.” 

“  But  to  return  to  Mrs.  Bloomfield  :  she  is  clever,  exceed¬ 
ingly  clever,  I  allow  ;  in  what  is  her  cleverness  to  be  distin¬ 
guished  from  that  of  one  of  her  sex  on  the  other  side  of  the 
ocean  ?  ’  ’ 


Ibome  as  jfoun& 


243 


“  In  nothing,  perhaps,  did  there  exist  no  differences  in 
national  characteristics.  Naples  and  New  York  are  in  the 
same  latitude,  and  yet,  I  think  you  will  agree  with  me  that 
there  is  little  resemblance  in  their  populations.” 

“I  confess  I  do  not  understand  the  allusion:  are  you 
quicker-witted,  Powis?  ” 

41 1  will  not  say  that,”  answered  Paul  ;  “  but  I  think  I  do 
comprehend  Miss  Effingham’s  meaning.  You  have  trav¬ 
elled  enough  to  know,  that,  as  a  rule,  there  is  more  aptitude 
in  a  southern  than  in  a  northern  people.  They  receive  im¬ 
pressions  more  readily,  and  are  quicker  in  all  their  percep¬ 
tions.” 

“I  believe  this  to  be  true  ;  but  then,  you  will  allow  that 
they  are  less  constant,  and  have  less  perseverance  ?  ’  ’ 

44  In  that  we  are  agreed,  Sir  George  Templemore,”  re¬ 
sumed  Eve,  44  though  we  might  differ  as  to  the  cause.  The 
inconstancy  of  which  you  speak,  is  more  connected  with 
moral  than  physical  causes,  perhaps,  and  we,  of  this  region, 
might  claim  an  exemption  from  some  of  them.  But  Mrs. 
Bloomfield  is  to  be  distinguished  from  her  European  rivals 
by  a  frame  so  singularly  feminine  as  to  appear  fragile  ;  a 
delicacy  of  exterior,  that,  were  it  not  for  that  illumined  face 
of  hers,  might  indicate  a  general  feebleness  ;  a  sensitiveness 
and  quickness  of  intellect  that  amount  almost  to  inspiration  ; 
and  yet  all  is  balanced  by  a  practical  common-sense,  that 
renders  her  as  safe  a  counsellor  as  she  is  a  warm  friend. 
This  latter  quality  causes  you  sometimes  to  doubt  her  genius, 
it  is  so  very  homely  and  available.  Now  it  is  in  this,  that 
I  think  the  American  woman,  when  she  does  rise  above 
mediocrity,  is  particularly  to  be  distinguished  from  the  Eu¬ 
ropean.  The  latter,  as  a  genius,  is  almost  always  in  the 
clouds,  whereas  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  in  her  highest  flights,  is 
either  all  heart  or  all  good  sense.  The  nation  is  practical, 
and  the  practical  qualities  get  to  be  imparted  even  to  its 
highest  order  of  talents.” 

44  The  English  women  are  thought  to  be  less  excitable,  and 
not  so  much  under  the  influence  of  sentimentalism,  as  some 
of  their  continental  neighbors.” 

4  4  And  very  j  ustly — but — ’  ’ 


244 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


“  But  what,  Miss  Effingham?  there  is  in  all  this  a  slight 
return  to  the  cosmopolitism,  that  reminds  me  of  our  days  of 
peril  and  adventure.  Do  not  conceal  a  thought,  if  you  wish 
to  preserve  that  character. 

“Well,  to  be  sincere,  I  shall  say  that  your  women  live 
under  a  system  too  sophisticated  and  factitious  to  give  fair 
play  to  common-sense,  at  all  times.  What,  for  instance,  can 
be  the  habitual  notions  of  one,  who,  professing  the  doctrines 
of  Christianity,  is  accustomed  to  find  money  placed  so  very 
much  in  the  ascendant,  as  to  see  it  daily  exacted  in  payment 
for  the  very  first  of  the  sacred  offices  of  the  Church  ?  It 
would  be  as  rational  to  contend  that  a  mirror  which  had 
been  cracked  into  radii  by  a  bullet,  like  those  we  have  so 
often  seen  in  Paris,  would  reflect  faithfully,  as  to  suppose  a 
mind  familiarized  to  such  abuses  would  be  sensitive  on  prac¬ 
tical  and  common-sense  things.” 

“  But,  my  dear  Miss  Effingham,  that  is  all  habit.” 

“  I  know  it  is  all  habit,  Sir  George  Templemore,  and  a 
very  bad  habit  it  is.  Even  your  devoutest  clergymen  get 
so  accustomed  to  it,  as  not  to  see  the  capital  mistake  they 
make.  I  do  not  say  it  is  absolutely  sinful,  where  there  is  no 
compulsion;  but  I  hope  you  agree  with  me,  Mr.  Powis, 
when  I  say  I  think  a  clergyman  ought  to  be  so  sensitive  on 
such  a  subject,  as  to  refuse  even  the  little  offering  for  bap¬ 
tisms  that  it  is  the  practice  of  the  wealthy  of  this  country  to 
make.” 

“I  agree  with  you  entirely,  for  it  would  denote  a  more 
just  perception  of  the  nature  of  the  office  they  are  perform¬ 
ing  ;  and  they  who  wish  to  give  can  always  make  oc¬ 
casions.” 

“A  hint  might  be  taken  from  Franklin,  who  is  said  to 
have  asked  his  father  to  ask  a  blessing  on  the  pork-barrel, 
by  way  of  condensation,”  put  in  John  Effingham,  who 
joined  them  as  he  spoke,  and  who  had  heard  a  part  of  the 
conversation.  “  In  this  instance,  an  average  might  be  struck 
in  the  marriage  fee,  that  should  embrace  all  future  baptisms. 
But  here  comes  neighbor  Howel  to  favor  us  with  his  opinion. 
Do  you  like  the  usages  of  the  English  Church,  as  respects 
baptisms,  Howel  ?  ’  ’ 


Ifoonte  as  jfounb 


245 


“  Excellent — the  best  in  the  world,  John  Effingham.” 

“  Mr.  Howel  is  so  true  an  Englishman,”  said  Eve,  shak¬ 
ing  hands  cordially  with  their  well-meaning  neighbor,  “  that 
he  would  give  a  certificate  in  favor  of  polygamy,  if  it  had  a 
British  origin.” 

‘  ‘  And  is  not  this  a  more  natural  sentiment  for  an  Ameri¬ 
can  than  that  which  distrusts  so  much,  merely  because  it 
comes  from  that  little  island?  ”  asked  Sir  George  reproach¬ 
fully. 

‘‘That  is  a  question  I  shall  leave  Mr.  Howel  himself  to 
answer.” 

“  Why,  Sir  George,”  observed  the  gentleman  alluded  to, 
“I  do  not  attribute  my  respect  for  your  country,  in  the 
least,  to  origin.  I  endeavor  to  keep  myself  free  from  all 
sorts  of  prejudices.  My  admiration  of  England  arises  from 
conviction,  and  I  watch  all  her  movements  with  the  utmost 
jealousy,  in  order  to  see  if  I  cannot  find  her  tripping,  though 
I  feel  bound  to  say  I  have  never  yet  detected  her  in  a  single 
error.  What  a  very  different  picture,  France — I  hope  your 
governess  is  not  within  hearing,  Miss  Eve  ;  it  is  not  her 
fault  she  was  born  a  Frenchwoman,  and  we  would  not  wish 
to  hurt  her  feelings — but  what  a  different  picture  France 
presents  !  I  have  watched  her  narrowly  too,  these  forty 
years,  I  may  say,  and  I  have  never  yet  found  her  right  ; 
and  this,  you  must  allow,  is  a  great  deal  to  be  said  by  one 
who  is  thoroughly  impartial.” 

“This  is  a  terrible  picture,  indeed,  Howel,  to  come  from 
an  unprejudiced  man,”  said  John  Effingham  ;  “  and  I  make 
no  doubt  Sir  George  Templemore  will  have  a  better  opinion 
of  himself  forever  after — he  for  a  valiant  lion,  and  you  for 
a  true  prince.  But  yonder  is  the  ‘exclusive  extra,’  which 
contains  our  party.” 

The  elevated  bit  of  lawn  on  which  they  were  walking 
commanded  a  view  of  the  road  that  led  into  the  village,  and 
the  travelling  vehicle  engaged  by  Mrs.  Hawker  and  her 
friends  was  now  seen  moving  along  at  a  rapid  pace.  Eve 
expressed  her  satisfaction,  and  then  all  resumed  their  walk, 
as  some  minutes  must  still  elapse  previously  to  their  ar¬ 
rival. 


24  6 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


‘  ‘  Exclusive  extra  !  ’  ’  repeated  Sir  George  ;  ‘  ‘  that  is  a 
peculiar  phrase,  and  one  that  denotes  anything  but  de¬ 
mocracy.” 

“  In  any  other  part  of  the  world  a  thing  would  be  suffi¬ 
ciently  marked,  by  being  ‘extra,’  but  here  it  requires  the 
addition  of  ‘exclusive,’  in  order  to  give  it  the  ‘Tower 
stamp,’  ”  said  John  Effingham,  with  a  curl  of  his  handsome 
lip.  “  Anything  may  be  as  exclusive  as  it  please,  provided 
it  bear  the  public  impress.  A  stage-coach  being  intended 
for  everybody,  why,  the  more  exclusive  it  is,  the  better. 
The  next  thing  we  shall  hear  of  will  be  exclusive  steamboats, 
exclusive  railroads,  and  both  for  the  uses  of  the  exclusive 
people.” 

Sir  George  now  seriously  asked  an  explanation  of  the 
meaning  of  the  term,  when  Mr.  Howel  informed  him  that 
an  “extra”  in  America  meant  a  supernumerary  coach,  to 
carry  any  excess  of  the  ordinary  number  of  passengers  ; 
whereas  an  ‘  ‘  exclusive  extra  ’  ’  meant  a  coach  expressly 
engaged  by  a  particular  individual. 

“The  latter,  then,  is  American  posting,”  observed  Sir 
George. 

“You  have  got  the  best  idea  of  it  that  can  be  given,”  said 
Paul.  “  It  is  virtually  posting  with  a  coachman,  instead  of 
postilions,  few  persons  in  this  country,  where  so  much  of 
the  greater  distances  is  done  by  steam,  using  their  own 
travelling  carriages.  The  American  ‘  exclusive  extra  ’  is 
not  only  posting,  but,  in  many  of  the  older  parts  of  the 
country,  is  posting  of  a  very  good  quality.” 

“  I  dare  say,  now,  this  is  all  wrong,  if  we  only  knew  it," 
said  the  simple-minded  Mr.  Howel.  “There  is  nothing- 
exclusive  in  England,  ha,  Sir  George  ?  ” 

Everybody  laughed  except  the  person  who  put  this  ques¬ 
tion,  but  the  rattling  of  wheels  and  the  tramping  of  horses 
on  the  village  bridge  announced  the  near  approach  of  the 
travellers.  By  the  time  the  party  had  reached  the  great 
door  in  front  of  the  house,  the  carriage  was  already  in  the 
grounds,  and  at  the  next  moment  Eve  was  in  the  arms  of 
Mrs.  Bloomfield.  It  was  apparent,  at  a  glance,  that  more  than 
the  expected  number  of  guests  was  in  the  vehicle  ;  and  as 


Ifrome  as  ffounfc 


247 


its  contents  were  slowly  discharged,  the  spectators  stood 
around  it  with  curiosity,  to  observe  who  would  appear. 

The  first  person  that  descended,  after  the  exit  of  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  was  Captain  Truck,  who,  however,  instead  of 
saluting  his  friends,  turned  assiduously  to  the  door  he  had 
just  passed  through,  to  assist  Mrs.  Hawker  to  alight.  Not 
until  this  office  had  been  done,  did  he  even  look  for  Eve  ; 
for,  so  profound  was  the  worthy  captain’s  admiration  and 
respect  for  this  venerable  lady,  that  she  had  actually  got  to 
supplant  our  heroine,  in  some  measure,  in  his  heart.  Mr. 
Bloomfield  appeared  next,  and  an  exclamation  of  surprise 
and  pleasure  proceeded  from  both  Paul  and  the  baronet,  as 
they  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  face  of  the  last  of  the  travel¬ 
lers  that  got  out. 

‘  ‘  Ducie  !  ’  ’  cried  Sir  George.  ‘  ‘  This  is  even  better  than 
we  expected.  ’  ’ 

“  Ducie  !  ”  added  Paul  ;  “  you  are  several  days  before  the 
expected  time,  and  in  excellent  company.” 

The  explanation,  however,  was  very  simple.  Captain 
Ducie  had  found  the  facilities  for  rapid  motion  much  greater 
than  he  had  expected,  and  he  reached  Fort  Plain,  in  the 
eastward  cars,  as  the  remainder  of  the  party  arrived  in  the 
westward.  Captain  Truck,  who  had  met  Mrs.  Hawker’s 
party  in  the  river  boat,  had  been  intrusted  with  the  duty  of 
making  arrangements,  and  recognizing  Captain  Ducie,  to 
their  mutual  surprise,  while  engaged  in  this  employment 
and  ascertaining  his  destination,  the  latter  was  very  cordially 
received  into  the  ‘  ‘  exclusive  extra.  ’  ’ 

Mr.  Effingham  welcomed  all  his  guests  with  the  hospi¬ 
tality  and  kindness  for  which  he  was  distinguished.  We  are 
no  great  admirers  of  the  pretension  to  peculiar  national 
virtues,  having  ascertained,  to  our  own  satisfaction,  by  toler¬ 
ably  extensive  observation,  that  the  moral  difference  between 
men  is  of  no  great  amount  ;  but  we  are  almost  tempted  to 
say,  on  this  occasion,  that  Mr.  Effingham  received  his  guests 
with  American  hospitality  ;  for  if  there  be  one  quality  that 
this  people  can  claim  to  possess  in  a  higher  degree  than  that 
of  most  other  Christian  nations,  it  is  that  of  a  simple,  sin¬ 
cere,  confiding  hospitality.  For  Mrs.  Hawker,  in  common 


248 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


with  all  who  knew  her,  the  owner  of  the  Wigwam  enter¬ 
tained  a  profound  respect ;  and  though  his  less  active  mind 
did  not  take  as  much  pleasure  as  that  of  his  daughter  in  the 
almost  intuitive  intelligence  of  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  he  also  felt 
for  this  lady  a  very  friendly  regard.  It  gave  him  pleasure 
to  see  Eve  surrounded  by  persons  of  her  own  sex,  of  so  high 
a  tone  of  thought  and  breeding  ;  a  tone  of  thought  and 
breeding,  moreover,  that  was  as  far  removed  as  possible 
from  anything  strained  or  artificial  ;  and  his  welcomes  were 
cordial  in  proportion.  Mr.  Bloomfield  was  a  quiet,  sensible, 
gentleman-like  man,  whom  his  wife  fervently  loved,  without 
making  any  parade  of  her  attachment,  and  he  also  was  one 
who  had  the  good  sense  to  make  himself  agreeable  wTher- 
ever  he  went.  Captain  Ducie,  who,  Englishman-like,  had 
required  some  urging  to  be  induced  to  present  himself  before 
the  precise  hour  named  in  his  own  letter,  and  who  seriously 
contemplated  passing  several  days  in  a  tavern,  previous  to 
showing  himself  at  the  Wigwam,  was  agreeably  disap¬ 
pointed  at  a  reception  that  would  have  been  just  as  frank 
and  warm,  had  he  come  without  any  notice  at  all :  for  the 
Effinghams  knew  that  the  uses  which  sophistication  and  a 
crowded  population  perhaps  render  necessary  in  older  coun¬ 
tries,  were  not  needed  in  their  own  ;  and  then  the  circum¬ 
stance  that  their  quondam  pursuer  was  so  near  a  kinsman 
of  Paul  Powis,  did  not  fail  to  act  essentially  in  his  favor. 

“We  can  offer  but  little  in  these  retired  mountains,  to 
interest  a  traveller  and  a  man  of  the  world,  Captain  Ducie,  ’  ’ 
said  Mr.  Effingham,  when  he  went  to  pay  his  compliments 
more  particularly,  after  the  whole  party  was  in  the  house  ; 
‘  ‘  but  there  is  a  common  interest  in  our  past  adventures  to 
talk  about,  after  all  other  topics  fail.  When  we  met  on  the 
ocean,  and  you  deprived  us  so  unexpectedly  of  our  friend 
Powis,  we  did  not  know  that  you  had  the  better  claim  of 
affinity  to  his  company.” 

Captain  Ducie  colored  slightly,  but  he  made  his  answer 
with  a  proper  degree  of  courtesy  and  gratitude. 

“  It  is  very  true,”  he  added,  “  Powis  and  myself  are  rela¬ 
tives,  and  I  shall  place  all  my  claims  to  your  hospitality  to  his 
account ;  for  I  feel  that  I  have  been  the  unwilling  cause  of  too 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


249 


much  suffering  to  your  party,  to  bring  with  me  any  very  pleas¬ 
ant  recollections,  notwithstanding  your  kindness  in  including 
me  as  a  friend,  in  the  adventures  of  which  you  speak.” 

“  Dangers  that  are  happily  past  seldom  bring  very  un¬ 
pleasant  recollections,  more  especially  when  they  were  con¬ 
nected  with  scenes  of  excitement.  I  understand,  sir,  that 
the  unhappy  young  man  who  was  the  principal  cause  of  all 
that  passed,  anticipated  the  sentence  of  the  law  by  destroy¬ 
ing  himself.” 

“  He  was  his  own  executioner,  and  the  victim  of  a  silly 
weakness  that,  I  should  think,  your  state  of  society  was  yet 
too  young  and  too  simple  to  encourage.  The  idle  vanity 
of  making  an  appearance — a  vanity,  by  the  way,  that  sel¬ 
dom  besets  gentlemen,  or  the  class  to  which  it  may  be 
thought  more  properly  to  belong — ruins  hundreds  of  young 
men  in  England,  and  this  poor  creature  was  of  the  number. 
I  never  was  more  rejoiced  than  when  he  quitted  my  ship, 
for  the  sight  of  so  much  weakness  sickened  one  of  human 
nature.  Miserable  as  his  fate  proved  to  be,  and  pitiable  as 
his  condition  really  was,  while  in  my  charge,  his  case  has 
the  alleviating  circumstance  with  me,  of  having  made  me 
acquainted  with  those  whom  it  might  not  otherwise  have 
been  my  good  fortune  to  meet  !  ’  ’ 

This  civil  speech  was  properly  acknowledged,  and  Mr. 
Effingham  addressed  himself  to  Captain  Truck,  to  whom,  in 
the  hurry  of  the  moment,  he  had  not  yet  said  half  that  his 
feelings  dictated. 

“I  am  rejoiced  to  see  you  under  my  roof,  my  worthy 
friend,”  taking  the  rough  hand  of  the  old  seaman  between 
his  own  whiter  and  more  delicate  fingers,  and  shaking  it 
with  cordiality,  ‘  ‘  for  this  is  being  under  my  roof,  while  those 
town  residences  have  less  the  air  of  domestication  and 
familiarity.  You  will  spend  many  of  your  holidays  here,  I 
trust,  and  when  we  get  a  few  years  older  we  will  begin  to 
prattle  about  the  marvels  we  have  seen  in  company.” 

The  eye  of  Captain  Truck  glistened,  and  as  he  returned 
the  shake  by  another  of  twice  the  energy,  and  the  gentle 
pressure  of  Mr.  Effingham  by  a  squeeze  like  that  of  a  vice, 
he  said,  in  his  honest,  off-hand  manner, — 


250 


Dome  as  jfounb 


“The  happiest  hour  I  ever  knew  was  that  in  which  I 
discharged  the  pilot,  the  first  time  out,  as  a  ship-master  ; 
the  next  great  event  of  my  life,  in  the  way  of  happiness,  was 
the  moment  I  found  myself  on  the  deck  of  the  Montauk, 
after  we  had  given  those  greasy  Arabs  a  hint  that  their 
room  was  better  than  their  company  ;  and  I  really  think 
this  very  instant  must  be  set  down  as  the  third.  I  never 
knew,  my  dear  sir,  how  much  I  truly  loved  you  and  your 
daughter,  until  both  were  out  of  sight.” 

“That  is  so  kind  and  gallant  a  speech  that  it  ought  not 
to  be  lost  on  the  person  most  concerned.  Eve,  my  love, 
our  worthy  friend  has  just  made  a  declaration  which  will  be 
a  novelty  to  you,  who  have  not  been  much  in  the  way  of 
listening  to  speeches  of  this  nature.” 

Mr.  Effingham  then  acquainted  his  daughter  with  what 

Captain  Truck  had  just  said. 

“This  is  certainly  the  first  declaration  of  the  sort  I  ever 
heard,  and  with  the  simplicity  of  an  unpractised  young 
woman,  I  here  avow  that  the  attachment  is  reciprocal,”  said 
the  smiling  Eve.  ‘  ‘  If  there  is  an  indiscretion  in  this  hasty 
acknowledgment,  it  must  be  ascribed  to  surprise,  and  to  the 
suddenness  with  which  I  have  learned  my  power,  for  your 
parvenues  are  not  always  perfectly  regulated.” 

“  I  hope  Ma’mselle  V.  A.  V.  is  well,”  returned  the  cap¬ 
tain,  cordially  shaking  the  hand  the  young  lady  had  given 
him,  “  and  that  she  enjoys  herself  to  her  liking  in  this  out¬ 
landish  country  ?  ’  ’ 

“Mademoiselle  Viefville  will  return  you  her  thanks  in 
person,  at  dinner  ;  and  I  believe  she  does  not  yet  regret  la 
belle  France  unreasonably  ;  as  I  regret  it  myself,  in  many 
particulars,  it  would  be  unjust  not  to  permit  a  native  of  the 
country  some  liberty  in  that  way.” 

“  I  perceive  a  strange  face  in  the  room — one  of  the  family, 
my  dear  young  lady  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Not  a  relative,  but  a  very  old  friend.  Shall  I  have  the 

pleasure  of  introducing  you,  captain  ?  ’  ’ 

“I  hardly  dared  to  ask  it,  for  I  know  you  must  have 
been  overworked  in  this  way  lately,  but  I  confess  I  should 
like  an  introduction  ;  I  have  neither  introduced  nor  been 


Iborne  as  tfounfc 


^S1 


introduced  since  I  left  New  York,  with  the  exception  of  the 
case  of  Captain  Ducie,  whom  I  made  properly  acquainted 
with  Mrs.  Hawker  and  her  party,  as  you  may  suppose. 
They  know  each  other  regularly  now,  and  you  are  saved 
the  trouble  of  going  through  the  ceremony  yourself.” 

“And  how  is  it  with  you  and  the  Bloomfields?  Did 
Mrs.  Hawker  name  you  to  them  properly  ?  ” 

That  is  the  most  extraordinary  thing  of  the  sort  I  ever 
knew  !  Not  a  word  was  said  in  the  way  of  introduction, 
and  yet  I  slid  into  an  acquaintance  with  Mrs.  Bloomfield  so 
easily,  that  I  could  not  tell  you  how  it  was  done,  if  my  life 
depended  on  it.  But  this  very  old  friend  of  yours,  my  deal 
young  lady — ” 

“Captain  Truck,  Mr.  Howel  ;  Mr.  Howel,  Captain 
Truck,”  said  Eve,  imitating  the  most  approved  manner  of 
the  introductory  spirit  of  the  day  with  admirable  self-pos¬ 
session  and  gravity.  “I  am  fortunate  in  having  it  in  my 
power  to  make  two  persons  whom  I  so  much  esteem,  ac¬ 
quainted.” 

“  Captain  Truck  is  the  gentleman  who  commands  the 
Montauk?  ”  said  Mr.  Howel,  glancing  at  Eve,  as  much  as  to 
say,  “  Am  I  right  ?  ” 

“The  very  same;  and  the  brave  seaman  to  whom  we 
are  all  indebted  for  the  happiness  of  standing  here  at  this 
moment.” 

“You  are  to  be  envied,  Captain  Truck;  of  all  the  men 
in  your  calling  you  are  exactly  the  one  I  should  most  wish 
to  supplant.  I  understand  you  actually  go  to  England 
twice  every  year  !  ’ 5 

“Three  times,  sir,  when  the  winds  permit.  I  have 
even  seen  the  old  island  four  times,  between  January  and 
January.” 

What  a  pleasure  !  It  must  be  the  very  acme  of  navi¬ 
gation  to  sail  between  America  and  England  !  ” 

“It  is  not  unpleasant,  sir,  from  April  to  November,  but 
the  long  nights,  thick  weather,  and  heavy  winds  knock  off 
a  good  deal  of  the  satisfaction  for  the  rest  of  the  year.” 

‘  ‘  But  I  speak  of  the  country  ;  of  old  England  itself ;  not 
of  the  passages.” 


252 


•foome  as  ffounfc 


“  Well,  England  has  what  I  call  a  pretty  fair  coast.  It 
is  high,  and  great  attention  is  paid  to  the  lights  ;  but  of 
what  account  is  either  coast  or  lights,  if  the  weather  is  so 
thick  you  cannot  see  the  end  of  your  flying-jib-boom  !  ” 

“  Mr.  Howel  alludes  more  particularly  to  the  country, 
inland,”  said  Eve  ;  “to  the  towns,  the  civilization,  and  the 
other  proofs  of  cultivation  and  refinement.  To  the  govern¬ 
ment,  especially.” 

“  In  my  judgment,  sir,  the  government  is  much  too  par¬ 
ticular  about  tobacco,  and  some  other  trifling  things  I  could 
name.  Then  it  restricts  pennants  to  king’s  ships,  whereas, 
to  my  notion,  my  dear  young  lady,  a  New  York  packet  is 
as  worthy  of  wearing  a  pennant  as  any  vessel  that  floats.  I 
mean,  of  course,  ships  of  the  regular  European  lines,  and 
not  the  Southern  traders.” 

“  But  these  are  merely  spots  on  the  sun,  my  good  sir,” 
returned  Mr.  Howel.  “  Putting  a  few  such  trifles  out  of  the 
question,  I  think  you  will  allow  that  England  is  the  most 
delightful  country  in  the  world  ?  ’  ’ 

“  To  be  frank  with  you,  Mr.  Howel,  there  is  a  good  deal 
of  hang-dog  weather  along  in  October,  November,  and 
December.  I  have  known  March  anything  but  agreeable, 
and  then  April  is  just  like  a  young  girl  with  one  of  your 
melancholy  novels,  now  smiling  and  now  blubbering.” 

“  But  the  morals  of  the  country,  my  dear  sir  ;  the  moral 
features  of  England  must  be  a  source  of  never-dying  delight 
to  a  true  philanthropist,”  resumed  Mr.  Howel,  as  Eve,  who 
'  perceived  that  the  discourse  was  likely  to  be  long,  went  to 
join  the  ladies.  “An  Englishman  has  most  reason  to  be 
proud  of  the  moral  excellences  of  his  country  !  ’  ’ 

“Why,  to  be  frank  with  you,  Mr.  Howel,  there  are  some 
of  the  moral  features  of  London  that  are  anything  but  very 
beautiful.  If  you  could  pass  twenty-four  hours  in  the 
neighborhood  of  St.  Catharine’s,  you  would  see  sights  that 
would  throw  Templeton  into  fits.  The  English  are  a  hand¬ 
some  people,  I  allow  ;  but  their  morality  is  none  of  the  best 
featured.” 

“  Let  us  be  seated,  sir  ;  I  am  afraid  we  are  not  exactly 
agreed  on  our  terms,  and,  in  order  that  we  may  continue 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


253 


this  subject,  I  beg  you  will  let  me  take  a  seat  next  you 
at  table.” 

To  this  Captain  Truck  very  cheerfully  assented,  and  then 
the  two  took  chairs,  continuing  the  discourse  very  much  in 
the  blind  and  ambiguous  manner  in  which  it  had  been  com¬ 
menced.  The  one  party  insisting  on  seeing  everything 
through  the  medium  of  an  imagination  that  had  got  to  be 
diseased  on  such  subjects,  or  with  a  species  of  monomania  ; 
while  the  other  seemed  obstinately  determined  to  consider 
the  entire  country  as  things  had  been  presented  to  his  lim¬ 
ited  and  peculiar  experience,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  docks. 

‘‘We  have  had  a  very  unexpected  and  a  very  agreeable 
attendant  in  Captain  Truck, ’’said  Mrs.  Hawker,  when  Eve 
had  placed  herself  by  her  side,  and  respectfully  taken  one 
of  her  hands.  “  I  really  think  if  I  were  to  suffer  shipwreck, 
or  to  run  the  hazard  of  captivity,  I  should  choose  to  have 
both  occur  in  his  good  company.” 

“  Mrs.  Hawker  makes  so  many  conquests,”  observed  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  ‘‘that  we  are  to  think  nothing  of  her  success 
with  this  merman  :  but  what  will  you  say,  Miss  Effingham, 
when  you  learn  that  I  am  also  in  favor,  in  the  same  high 
quarter  ?  I  shall  think  the  better  of  masters,  and  boatswains, 
and  Trinculos  and  Stephanos,  as  long  as  I  live,  for  this 
specimen  of  their  craft.” 

‘‘Not  Trinculos  and  Stephanos,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ; 
for,  H  V exception  pres  de  Saturday  nights,  and  sweethearts 
and  wives,  a  more  exemplary  person  in  the  wa)^  of  libations, 
does  not  exist  than  our  excellent  Captain  Truck.  He  is 
much  too  religious  and  moral  for  so  vulgar  an  excess  as 
drinking.” 

“Religious!”  exclaimed  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  in  surprise. 
‘  ‘  This  is  a  merit  to  which  I  did  not  know  he  possessed  the 
smallest  claims.  One  might  imagine  a  little  superstition, 
and  some  short-lived  repentances  in  gales  of  wind  ;  but 
scarcely  anything  as  much  like  a  trade-wind,  as  religion  !  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Then  you  do  not  know  him ;  for  a  more  sincerely  devout 
man,  though  I  acknowledge  it  is  after  a  fashion  that  is  per¬ 
haps  peculiar  to  the  ocean,  is  not  often  met  with.  At  any 
rate,  you  found  him  attentive  to  our  sex  ?  ’  ’ 


254 


Ifootne  as  ffonnb 


“The  pink  of  politeness;  and,  not  to  embellish,  there  is 
a  manly  deference  about  him,  that  is  singularly  agreeable  to 
our  frail  vanity.  This  comes  of  his  packet-training,  I  sup¬ 
pose,  and  we  may  thank  you  for  some  portion  of  his  merit. 
His  tongue  never  tires  in  )?our  praises,  and  did  I  not  feel 
persuaded  that  your  mind  is  made  up  never  to  be  the  wife 
of  any  republican  American,  I  should  fear  this  visit  exceed¬ 
ingly.  Notwithstanding  the  remark  I  made  concerning 
my  being  in  favor,  the  affair  lies  between  Mrs.  Hawker  and 
yourself.  I  know  it  is  not  your  habit  to  trifle  even  on  that 
very  popular  subject  with  young  ladies,  matrimony  ;  but 
this  case  forms  so  complete  an  exception  to  the  vulgar  pas¬ 
sion,  that  I  trust  you  will  overlook  the  indiscretion.  Our 
golden  captain,  for  copper  he  is  not,  protests  that  Mrs. 
Hawker  is  the  most  delightful  old  lady  he  ever  knew,  and 
that  Miss  Eve  Effingham  is  the  most  delightful  young  lady 
he  ever  knew.  Here,  then,  each  may  see  the  ground  she 
occupies,  and  play  her  cards  accordingly.  I  hope  to  be  for¬ 
given  for  touching  on  a  subject  so  delicate.” 

“  In  the  first  place,”  said  Eve,  smiling,  “I  should  wish 
to  hear  Mrs.  Hawker’s  reply.” 

“I  have  no  more  to  say,  than  to  express  my  perfect 
gratitude,”  answered  that  lady,  “  to  announce  a  determina¬ 
tion  not  to  change  my  condition,  on  account  of  extreme 
youth,  and  a  disposition  to  abandon  the  field  to  my  younger, 
if  not  fairer  rival.” 

“  Well,  then,”  resumed  Eve,  anxious  to  change  the  sub¬ 
ject,  for  she  saw  that  Paul  was  approaching  their  group, 
“  I  believe  it  will  be  wisest  in  me  to  suspend  a  decision, 
circumstances  leaving  so  much  at  my  disposal.  Time  must 
show  what  that  decision  will  be.” 

“  Nay,”  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  who  saw  no  feeling  involved 
in  the  trifling,  “  this  is  unjustifiable  coquetry,  and  I  feel 
bound  to  ascertain  how  the  land  lies.  You  will  remember 
I  am  the  captain’s  confidante,  and  you  know  the  fearful 
responsibility  of  a  friend  in  an  affair  of  this  sort ;  that  of  a 
friend  in  the  duello  being  insignificant  in  comparison.  That 
I  may  have  testimony  at  need,  Mr.  Powis  shall  be  made 
acquainted  with  the  leading  facts.  Captain  Truck  is  a 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


255 


devout  admirer  of  this  young  lady,  sir,  and  I  am  endeav¬ 
oring  to  discover  whether  he  ought  to  hang  himself  on  her 
father’s  lawn  this  evening,  as  soon  as  the  moon  rises,  or 
live  another  week.  In  order  to  do  this,  I  shall  pursue  the 
categorical  and  inquisitorial  method,  and  so  defend  yourself, 
Miss  Effingham.  Do  you  object  to  the  country  of  your 
admirer  ?  ’  ’ 

Eve,  though  inwardly  vexed  at  the  turn  this  pleasantry 
had  taken,  maintained  a  perfectly  composed  manner  ;  for  she 
knew  that  Mrs.  Bloomfield  had  too  much  feminine  pro¬ 
priety  to  say  anything  improper,  or  anything  that  might 
seriously  embarrass  her. 

“  It  would,  indeed,  be  extraordinary,  should  I  object  to  a 
country  which  is  not  only  my  own,  but  which  has  so  long 
been  that  of  my  ancestors,”  she  answered  steadily.  ‘‘On 
this  score,  my  knight  has  nothing  to  fear.” 

“  I  rejoice  to  hear  this,”  returned  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  glanc¬ 
ing  her  eyes,  unconsciously  to  herself,  however,  towards  Sir 
George  Templemore,  “  and,  Mr.  Powis,  you,  who  I  believe 
are  a  European,  will  learn  humility  in  the  avowal.  Do  you 
object  to  your  swain  that  he  is  a  seaman  ?  ” 

Eve  blushed,  notwithstanding  a  strong  effort  to  appear 
composed,  and,  for  the  first  time  since  their  acquaintance, 
she  felt  provoked  with  Mrs.  Bloomfield.  She  hesitated 
before  she  answered  in  the  negative,  and  this  too  in  a  way 
to  give  more  meaning  to  her  reply,  although  nothing  could 
be  further  from  her  intentions. 

‘  ‘  The  happy  man  may  then  be  an  American  and  a  sea¬ 
man  !  Here  is  great  encouragement  !  Do  you  object  to 
sixty  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  In  any  other  man  I  should  certainly  consider  it  a  blem¬ 
ish,  as  my  own  dear  father  is  but  fifty.” 

.  Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  .struck  with  the  tremor  in  the  voice, 
and  with  the  air  of  embarrassment,  in  one  who  usually  was 
so  easy  and  collected  ;  and  with  feminine  sensitiveness  she 
adroitly  abandoned  the  subject,  though  she  often  recurred 
to  this  stifled  emotion  in  the  course  of  the  day,  and  from 
that  moment  she  became  a  silent  observer  of  Eve’s  deportment 
with  all  her  father’s  guests. 


256 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


“  This  is  hope  enough  for  one  day,”  she  said,  rising  ;  “  the 
profession  and  the  flag  must  counterbalance  the  years  as 
best  they  may,  and  the  Truck  lives  another  revolution  of 
the  sun  !  Mrs.  Hawker,  we  shall  be  late  at  dinner,  I  see 
by  that  clock,  unless  we  retire  soon.” 

Both  the  ladies  now  went  to  their  rooms  ;  Eve,  who  was 
already  dressed  for  dinner,  remaining  in  the  drawing-room. 
Paul  still  stood  before  her,  and,  like  herself,  he  seemed 
embarrassed. 

‘  ‘  There  are  men  who  would  be  delighted  to  hear  even 
the  little  that  has  fallen  from  your  lips  in  this  trifling,”  he 
said,  as  soon  as  Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  out  of  hearing.  “To 
be  an  American  and  a  seaman,  then,  are  not  serious  defects 
in  your  eyes  ?  ” 

“Am  I  to  be  made  responsible  for  Mrs.  Bloomfield’s 
caprices  and  pleasantries  ?  ’  ’ 

“By  no  means  ;  but  I  do  think  you  hold  y  ourself  re¬ 
sponsible  for  Miss  Effingham’s  truth  and  sincerity.  I  can 
conceive  of  your  silence,  when  questioned  too  far,  but 
scarcely  of  any  direct  declaration,  that  shall  not  possess  both 
these  high  qualities.” 

Eve  looked  up  gratefully,  for  she  saw  that  profound 
respect  for  her  character  dictated  the  remark  :  but  rising, 
she  observed, — 

“  This  is  making  a  little  badinage  about  our  honest,  lion- 
hearted  old  captain,  a  very  serious  affair.  And  now,  to 
show  you  that  I  am  conscious  of,  and  thankful  for,  your 
own  compliment,  I  shall  place  you  on  the  footing  of  a  friend 
to  both  the  parties,  and  request  }rou  will  take  Captain  Truck 
into  your  especial  care,  while  he  remains  here.  My  father 
and  cousin  are  both  sincerely  his  friends,  but  their  habits 
are  not  so  much  those  of  their  guest’s,  as  yours  will  prob¬ 
ably  be  ;  and  to  you,  then,  I  commit  him,  with  a  request 
that  he  may  miss  his  ship  and  the  ocean  as  little  as  possible.” 

“  I  would  I  knew  how  to  take  this  charge,  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham  !  To  be  a  seaman  is  not  always  a  recommendation 
with  the  polished,  intelligent,  and  refined.” 

“But  when  one  is  polished,  intelligent,  and  refined,  to 
be  a  seaman  is  to  add  one  other  particular  and  useful 


Ihome  as  jfounfc 


257 


branch  of  knowledge  to  those  which  are  more  familiar.  I  feel 
certain  Captain  Truck  will  be  in  good  hands,  and  now  I  will 
go  and  do  my  devoirs  to  my  own  especial  charges,  the  ladies.” 

Eve  bowed  as  she  passed  the  young  man,  and  she  left  the 
room  with  as  much  haste  as  at  all  became  her.  Paul  stood 
motionless  quite  a  minute  after  she  had  vanished,  nor  did 
he  awaken  from  his  reverie,  until  aroused  by  an  appeal  from 
Captain  Truck,  to  sustain  him,  in  some  of  his  matter-of-fact 
opinions  concerning  England,  against  the  visionary  and 
bookish  notions  of  Mr.  Howel. 

‘‘Who  is  this  Mr.  Powis  ?  ”  asked  Mrs.  Bloomfield  of 
Eve,  when  the  latter  appeared  in  her  dressing-room,  with  an 
unusual  impatience  of  manner. 

‘‘You  know,  my  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  that  he  was  our 
fellow-passenger  in  the  Montauk,  and  that  he  was  of  infinite 
service  to  us  in  escaping  from  the  Arabs.” 

‘‘  All  this  I  know,  certainly  ;  but  he  is  a  European,  is  he 
not?” 

Eve  scarcely  ever  felt  more  embarrassed  than  in  answering 
this  simple  question. 

‘  ‘  I  believe  not  ;  at  least,  I  think  not ;  we  thought  so  when 
we  met  him  in  Europe,  and  even  until  quite  lately  ;  but  he 
has  avowed  himself  a  countryman  of  our  own,  since  his 
arrival  at  Templeton.” 

‘  ‘  Has  he  been  here  long  ?  ’  ’ 

‘‘We  found  him  in  the  village  on  reaching  home.  He 
was  from  Canada,  and  has  been  in  waiting  for  his  cousin, 
Captain  Ducie,  who  came  with  you.” 

His  cousin  !  He  has  English  cousins,  then  !  Mr.  Ducie 
kept  this  to  himself,  with  true  English  reserve.  Captain 
Truck  whispered  something  of  the  latter’s  having  taken  out 
one  of  his  passengers,  the  Mr.  Powis,  the  hero  of  the  rocks, 
but  I  did  not  know  of  his  having  found  his  way  back  to 
our — to  his  country.  Is  he  as  agreeable  as  Sir  George 
Templemore?  ” 

Nay,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  I  must  leave  you  to  judge  of 
that  for  yourself.  I  think  them  both  agreeable  men  ;  but 
there  is  so  much  caprice  in  a  woman’s  tastes,  that  I  decline 

thinking  for  others.” 

17 


258 


Ifoome  as  tfownb 


“  He  is  a  seaman,  I  believe,”  observed  Mrs.  Bloomfield, 
with  an  abstracted  manner;  “he  must  have  been,  to  have 
manoeuvred  and  managed  as  I  have  been  told  he  did. 
Powis — Powis — that  is  not  one  of  our  names,  either — I 
should  think  he  must  be  from  the  South.” 

Here  Eve’s  habitual  truth  and  dignity  of  mind  did  her 
good  service,  and  prevented  any  further  betrayal  of  embar¬ 
rassment. 

“We  do  not  know  his  family,”  she  steadily  answered. 
“  That  he  is  a  gentleman,  we  see;  but  of  his  origin  and 
connections  he  never  speaks.” 

“  His  profession  would  have  given  him  the  notions  of  a 
gentleman,  for  he  was  in  the  navy,  I  have  heard,  although 
I  had  thought  it  the  British  navy.  I  do  not  know  of  any 
Powises  in  Philadelphia,  or  Baltimore,  or  Richmond,  or 
Charleston  ;  he  must  surely  be  from  the  interior.” 

Eve  could  scarcely  condemn  her  friend  for  a  curiosity  that 
had  not  a  little  tormented  herself,  though  she  would  gladly 
change  the  discourse. 

‘  ‘  Mr.  Powis  would  be  much  gratified  did  he  know  what  a 
subject  of  interest  he  has  suddenly  become  with  Mrs.  Bloom¬ 
field,”  she  said,  smiling. 

“  I  confess  it  all  ;  to  be  very  sincere,  I  think  him  the 
most  distinguished  young  man,  in  air,  appearance,  and  ex¬ 
pression  of  countenance,  I  ever  saw.  When  this  is  coupled 
with  what  I  have  heard  of  his  gallantry  and  coolness,  my 
dear,  I  should  not  be  woman  to  feel  no  interest  in  him.  I 
would  give  the  world  to  know  of  what  State  he  is  a  native — 
if  native,  in  truth,  he  be.” 

“  For  that  we  have  his  own  wTord.  He  was  born  in  this 
country,  and  was  educated  in  our  own  marine.” 

“  And  yet  from  the  little  that  fell  from  him,  in  our  first 
short  conversation,  he  struck  me  as  being  educated  above 
his  profession.” 

‘  ‘  Mr.  Powis  has  seen  much  as  a  traveller  ;  when  wTe  met 
him  in  Europe,  it  was  in  a  circle  particularly  qualified  to 
improve  both  his  mind  and  his  manners.” 

“Europe!  Your  acquaintance  did  not  then  commence, 
like  that  with  Sir  George  Templemore,  in  the  packet  ?  ’  ’ 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


2  59 


“  Our  acquaintance  with  neither  commenced  in  the 
packet.  My  father  had  often  seen  both  these  gentlemen, 
during  our  residences  in  different  parts  of  Europe.” 

“  And  your  father’s  daughter  ?  ” 

“  My  father’s  daughter,  too,”  said  Eve,  laughing.  “  With 
Mr.  Powis,  in  particular,  we  were  acquainted  under  circum¬ 
stances  that  left  a  vivid  recollection  of  his  manliness  and 
professional  skill.  He  was  of  almost  as  much  service  to  us 
in  one  of  the  Swiss  lakes,  as  he  has  subsequently  been  on 
the  ocean.” 

“  All  this  was  news  to  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  and  she  looked  as 
if  she  thought  the  intelligence  interesting.  At  this  moment 
the  dinner-bell  rang,  and  all  the  ladies  descended  to  the 
drawing-room.  The  gentlemen  were  already  assembled, 
and  as  Mr.  Effingham  led  Mrs.  Hawker  to  the  table,  Mrs. 
Bloomfield  gayly  took  Eve  by  the  arm,  protesting  that  she 
felt  herself  privileged,  the  first  day,  to  take  a  seat  near  the 
young  mistress  of  the  Wigwam. 

“  Mr.  Powis  and  Sir  George  Templemore  will  not  quarrel 
about  the  honor,”  she  said,  in  a  low  voice,  as  they  proceeded 
towards  the  table. 

“  Indeed,  you  are  in  error,  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ;  Sir  George 
Templemore  is  much  better  pleased  with  being  at  liberty  to 
sit  next  my  cousin  Grace.” 

“Can  this  be  so?”  returned  the  other,  looking  intently 
at  her  young  friend. 

Indeed  it  is  so,  and  I  am  very  glad  to  be  able  to  affirm 
it.  How  far  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  is  pleased  that  it  is  so, 
time  must  show  ;  but  the  baronet  betrays  every  day  and  all 
day,  how  much  he  is  pleased  with  her.” 

“  He  is  then  a  man  of  less  taste,  and  judgment,  and  intel¬ 
ligence,  than  I  had  thought  him.” 

“  Nay,  dearest  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  this  ,  is  not  necessarily 
true  ;  or,  if  true,  need  it  be  so  openly  said?  ” 

‘  ‘  Se  non  £  vero ,  e  ben  trovato.  ’  ’ 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 


**  Thine  for  a  space  are  they — 

Yet  shalt  thou  yield  thy  treasures  up  at  last  ; 

Thy  gates  shall  yet  give  way, 

Thy  bolts  shall  fall,  inexorable  Past.” 

Bryant. 

CAPTAIN  DUCIE  had  retired  for  the  night,  and  was 
sitting  reading,  when  a  low  tap  at  the  door  roused 
him  from  a  brown  study.  He  gave  the  necessary 
permission,  and  the  door  opened. 

“  I  hope,  Ducie,  you  have  not  forgotten  the  secretaire  I 
left  among  your  effects,  ’  ’  said  Paul,  entering  the  room,  “and 
concerning  which  I  wrote  to  you  when  you  were  still  at 
Quebec.” 

Captain  Ducie  pointed  to  the  case  which  was  standing 
among  his  other  luggage,  on  the  floor  of  the  room. 

“  Thank  you  for  this  care,”  said  Paul,  taking  the  secretaire 
under  his  arm,  and  retiring  towards  the  door  :  “it  contains 
papers  of  much  importance  to  myself,  and  some  that  I  have 
reason  to  think  are  of  importance  to  others.” 

‘  ‘  Stop,  Powis — a  word  before  you  quit  me.  Is  Temple- 
more  de  trop  f  ’  ’ 

“Not  at  all;  I  have  a  sincere  regard  for  Templemore, 
and  should  be  sorry  to  see  him  leave  us.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  And  yet  I  think  it  singular  a  man  of  his  habits  should 
be  rusticating  among  these  hills,  when  I  know  that  he  is 
expected  to  look  at  the  Canadas,  with  a  view  to  report  their 
actual  condition  at  home.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Is  Sir  George  really  intrusted  with  a  commission  of 
that  sort  ?”  inquired  Paul,  with  interest. 


Ifoome  as  jfoun& 


26l 


“Not  with  any  positive  commission,  perhaps,  for  none 
was  necessary.  Templemore  is  a  rich  fellow,  and  has  no 
need  of  appointments ;  but  it  is  hoped  and  understood  that 
he  will  look  at  the  provinces,  and  report  their  condition  to 
the  government.  I  dare  say  he  will  not  be  impeached  for 
his  negligence,  though  it  may  occasion  surprise.” 

“  Good  night,  Ducie  ;  Templemore  prefers  a  wigwam  to 
your  walled  Quebec,  and  natives  to  colonists  ;  that  is  all.” 

In  a  minute,  Paul  was  at  the  door  of  John  Effingham’s 
room,  where  he  again  tapped,  and  was  again  told  to  enter. 

‘  ‘  Ducie  has  not  forgotten  my  request,  and  this  is  the 
secretaire  that  contains  poor  Mr.  Monday’s  papers,”  he  re¬ 
marked,  as  he  laid  his  load  on  a  toilet-table,  speaking  in  a 
way  to  show  that  his  visit  was  expected.  “  We  have,  in¬ 
deed,  neglected  this  duty  too  long,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  no 
injustice,  or  wrong  to  any,  will  be  the  consequence.” 

“  Is  that  the  package  ?  ”  demanded  John  Effingham,  ex¬ 
tending  a  hand  to  receive  a  bundle  of  papers  that  Paul  had 
taken  from  the  secretaire.  “  We  will  break  the  seals  this 
moment,  and  ascertain  what  ought  to  be  done  before  we 
sleep.” 

“These  are  papers  of  my  own,  and  very  precious  are 
theyq”  returned  the  young  man,  regarding  them  a  moment 
with  interest,  before  he  laid  them  on  the  toilet.  “  Here  are 
the  papers  of  Mr.  Monday.” 

John  Effingham  received  the  package  from  his  young 
friend,  placed  the  lights  conveniently  on  the  table,  put  on 
his  spectacles,  and  invited  Paul  to  be  seated.  The  gentle¬ 
men  were  placed  opposite  each  other,  the  duty  of  breaking 
the  seals,  and  first  casting  an  eye  at  the  contents  of  the 
different  documents,  devolving,  as  a  matter  of  course,  on  the 
senior  of  the  two,  who,  in  truth,  had  alone  been  intrusted 
with  it. 

Here  is  something  signed  by  poor  Monday  himself,  in 
the  way  of  a  general  certificate,”  observed  John  Effingham, 
who  first  read  the  paper,  and  then  handed  it  to  Paul.  It 
was,  in  form,  an  unsealed  letter;  and  it  was  addressed  “To 
all  whom  it  may  concern.”  The  certificate  itself  was  in  the 
following  words : — 


262 


Iborne  as  ffounfc 


“  I,  John  Monday,  do  declare  and  certify,  that  all  the  ac¬ 
companying  letters  and  documents  are  genuine  and  authen¬ 
tic.  Jane  Dowse,  to  whom  and  from  whom  are  so  many 
letters,  was  my  late  mother,  she  having  intermarried  with 
Peter  Dowse,  the  man  so  often  named,  and  who  led  her 
into  acts  for  which  I  know  .she  has  since  been  deeply  re¬ 
pentant.  In  committing  these  papers  to  me,  my  poor 
mother  left  me  the  sole  judge  of  the  course  I  was  to  take, 
and  I  have  put  them  in  this  form,  in  order  that  they  may 
yet  do  good,  should  I  be  called  suddenly  away.  All  depends 
on  discovering  who  the  person  called  Bright  actually  is,  for 
he  was  never  known  to  my  mother  by  any  other  name. 
She  knows  him  to  have  been  an  Englishman,  however,  and 
thinks  he  was,  or  has  been,  an  upper  servant  in  a  gentleman’s 
family. 

John  Monday.” 

This  paper  was  dated  several  years  back,  a  sign  that  the 
disposition  to  do  right  had  existed  some  time  in  Mr.  Mon¬ 
day  ;  and  all  the  letters  and  other  papers  had  been  care¬ 
fully  preserved.  The  latter  also  appeared  to  be  regularly 
numbered,  a  precaution  that  much  aided  the  investigations 
of  the  two  gentlemen.  The  original  letters  spoke  for 
themselves,  and  the  copies  had  been  made  in  a  clear,  strong, 
mercantile  hand,  and  with  the  method  of  one  accustomed  to 
business.  In  short,  so  far  as  the  contents  of  the  different 
papers  would  allow,  nothing  was  wanting  to  render  the 
whole  distinct  and  intelligible. 

John  Effingham  read  the  paper  No.  1,  with  deliberation, 
though  not  aloud  :  and  when  he  had  done,  he  handed  it  to 
his  young  friend,  coolly  remarking, — 

“  That  is  the  production  of  a  deliberate  villain.” 

Paul  glanced  his  eye  over  the  document,  which  was  an 
original  letter  signed  “David  Bright,”  and  addressed  to 
“  Mrs.  Jane  Dowse.”  It  was  written  with  exceeding  art, 
made  many  professions  of  friendship,  spoke  of  the  writer’s 
knowledge  of  the  woman’s  friends  in  England,  and  of  her 
first  husband  in  particular,  and  freely  professed  the  writer’s 
desire  to  serve  her,  while  it  also  contained  several  ambigu- 


Ifoome  as  ffouitb 


263 


ous  allusions  to  certain  means  of  doing  so,  which  should  be 
revealed  whenever  the  person  to  whom  the  letter  was  ad¬ 
dressed  should  discover  a  willingness  to  embark  in  the 
undertaking.  This  letter  was  dated  Philadelphia,  was 
addressed  to  one  in  New  York,  and  it  was  old. 

“This  is,  indeed,  a  rare  specimen  of  villainy,”  said  Paul, 
as  he  laid  down  the  paper,  “  and  has  been  written  in  some 
such  spirit  as  that  employed  by  the  devil  when  he  tempted 
our  common  mother.  I  think  I  never  read  a  better  speci¬ 
men  of  low,  wily  cunning.” 

“  And  judging  by  all  that  we  already  know,  it  would  seem 
to  have  succeeded.  In  this  letter  you  will  find  the  gentle¬ 
man  a  little  more  explicit ;  and  but  a  little  ;  though  he  is 
evidently  encouraged  by  the  interest  and  curiosity  betrayed 
by  the  woman  in  this  copy  of  the  answer  to  his  first  epistle.” 

Paul  read  the  letter  just  named,  and  then  he  laid  it  down 
to  wait  for  the  next,  which  was  still  in  the  hands  of  his 
companion. 

“  This  is  likely  to  prove  a  history  of  unlawful  love,  and 
of  its  miserable  consequences,”  .said  John  Effingham  in  his 
cool  manner,  as  lie  handed  the  answers  to  letter  No.  1  and 
letter  No.  2  to  Paul.  “  The  world  is  full  of  such  unfortu¬ 
nate  adventures,  and  I  should  think  the  parties  English,  by 
a  hint  or  two  you  will  find  in  this  very  honest  and  con¬ 
scientious  communication.  Strongly  artificial  social  and 
political  distinctions  render  expedients  of  this  nature  more 
frequent,  perhaps,  in  Great  Britain,  than  in  any  other  coun¬ 
try.  Youth  is  the  season  of  the  passions,  and  many  a  man, 
in  the  thoughtlessness  of  that  period,  lays  the  foundation  of 
bitter  regret  in  after  life.” 

As  John  Effingham  raised  his  eyes,  in  the  act  of  extend¬ 
ing  his  hand  towards  his  companion,  he  perceived  that  the 
fresh,  ruddy  hue  of  his  embrowned  cheek  deepened,  until  the 
color  diffused  itself  over  the  whole  of  his  fine  brow.  At 
first  an  unpleasant  suspicion  flashed  on  John  Effingham,  and 
he  admitted  it  with  regret,  for  Eve  and  her  future  happi¬ 
ness  had  got  to  be  closely  associated  in  his  mind  with  the 
character  and  conduct  of  the  young  man  ;  but  when  Paul 
took  the  papers  steadily,  and  by  an  effort  seemed  to  subdue 


264 


Ifoome  as  tfomb 


all  unpleasant  feelings,  the  calm  dignity  with  which  he  read 
them  completely  effaced  the  disagreeable  distrust.  It  was 
then  John  Effingham  remembered  that  he  had  once  believed 
Paul  himself  might  be  the  fruits  of  the  heartless  indiscre¬ 
tion  he  condemned.  Commiseration  and  sympathy  instantly 
took  the  place  of  the  first  impression,  and  he  was  so  much 
absorbed  with  these  feelings  that  he  had  not  taken  up  the 
letter  which  was  to  follow,  when  Paul  laid  down  the  paper 
he  had  last  been  required  to  read. 

“This  does,  indeed,  sir,  seem  to  foretell  one  of  those 
painful  histories  of  unbridled  passion,  with  the  still  more 
painful  consequences,”  said  the  young  man,  with  the  steadi¬ 
ness  of  one  who  was  unconscious  of  having  a  personal  con¬ 
nection  with  any  events  of  a  nature  so  unpleasant.  “  Eet 
us  examine  further.” 

John  Effingham  felt  emboldened  by  these  encouraging 
signs  of  unconcern,  and  he  read  the  succeeding  letters  aloud, 
so  that  they  learned  their  contents  simultaneously.  The 
next  six  or  eight  communications  betrayed  nothing  dis¬ 
tinctly,  beyond  the  fact  that  the  child,  which  formed  the 
subject  of  the  whole  correspondence,  was  to  be  received  by 
Peter  Dowse  and  his  wife,  and  to  be  retained  as  their  own 
offspring,  for  the  consideration  of  a  considerable  sum,  wTith 
an  additional  engagement  to  pay  an  annuity.  It  appeared 
by  these  letters  also,  that  the  child,  which  was  hypocritically 
alluded  to  under  the  name  of  the  “pet,”  had  been  actually 
transferred  to  the  keeping  of  Jane  Dowse,  and  that  several 
years  passed  after  this  arrangement  before  the  correspond¬ 
ence  terminated.  Most  of  the  later  letters  referred  to  the 
payment  of  the  annuity,  although  they  contained  cold  in¬ 
quiries  after  the  “  pet,”  and  answers  so  vague  and  general, 
as  sufficiently  to  prove  that  the  term  was  singularly  misap¬ 
plied.  In  the  whole,  there  were  some  thirty  or  fort}'  let¬ 
ters,  each  of  which  had  been  punctually  answered,  and  their 
dates  covered  a  space  of  near  twelve  years.  The  perusal 
of  all  these  papers  consumed  more  than  an  hour,  and  when 
John  Effingham  laid  his  spectacles  on  the  table,  the  village 
clock  had  struck  the  hour  of  midnight. 

“  As  yet,”  he  observed,  “  we  have  learned  little  more  than 


Ifoome  as  ffounb 


265 


the  fact  that  a  child  was  made  to  take  a  false  character, 
without  possessing  any  other  clue  to  the  circumstances  than 
is*  given  in  the  names  of  the  parties,  all  of  whom  are  evi¬ 
dently  obscure,  and  one  of  the  most  material  of  whom,  we 
are  plainly  told,  must  have  borne  a  fictitious  name.  Even 
poor  Monday,  in  possession  of  so  much  collateral  testimony 
that  we  want,  could  not  have  known  what  was  the  precise 
injustice  done,  if  any,  or  certainly,  with  the  intentions  he 
manifests,  he  would  not  have  left  that  important  particular 
in  the  dark.” 

“This  is  likely  to  prove  a  complicated  affair,”  returned 
Paul,  ‘  ‘  and  it  is  not  very  clear  that  we  can  be  of  any  imme¬ 
diate  service.  As  you  are  probably  fatigued,  we  may  without 
impropriety  defer  the  further  examination  to  another  time.” 

To  this  John  Effingham  assented,  and  Paul,  during  the 
short  conversation  that  followed,  brought  the  secretaire  from 
the  toilet  to  the  table,  along  with  the  bundle  of  important 
papers  that  belonged  to  himself,  to  which  he  had  alluded, 
and  busied  himself  in  replacing  the  whole  in  the  drawer 
from  which  they  had  been  taken. 

‘  ‘  All  the  formalities  about  the  seals,  that  we  observed 
when  poor  Monday  gave  us  the  packet,  would  now  seem  to 
be  unnecessary,”  he  remarked,  while  thus  occupied,  “  and  it 
will  probably  be  sufficient  if  I  leave  the  secretaire  in  your 
room,  and  keep  the  keys  myself.” 

“  One  never  knows,”  returned  John  Effingham,  with  the 
greater  caution  of  experience  and  age.  “  We  have  not 
read  all  the  papers,  and  there  are  wax  and  lights  before 
you  ;  each  has  his  watch  and  seal,  and  it  will  be  the  work 
of  a  minute  only,  to  replace  everything  as  we  left  the  pack¬ 
age  originally.  When  this  is  done,  you  may  leave  the 
secretaire,  or  remove  it  at  your  own  pleasure.” 

“  I  will  leave  it;  for  though  it  contains  so  much  that  I 
prize,  and  which  is  really  of  great  importance  to  myself,  it 
contains  nothing  for  which  I  shall  have  immediate  occasion.” 

“  In  that  case  it  were  better  that  I  place  the  package  in 
which  we  have  a  common  interest  in  an  armoire,  or  in  my 
secretaire,  and  that  you  keep  your  precious  effects  more 
immediately  under  your  own  eye.” 


266 


Ifoome  as  .fouitb 


“  It  is  immaterial,  unless  the  case  will  inconvenience  you, 
for  I  do  not  know  that  I  am  not  happier  when  it  is  out  of 
my  sight,  so  long  as  I  feel  certain  of  its  security,  than  when 
it  is  constantly  before  my  eyes.  ’  ’ 

Paul  said  this  with  a  forced  smile,  and  there  was  a  sad¬ 
ness  in  his  countenance  that  excited  the  sympathy  of  his 
companion.  The  latter,  however,  merely  bowed  his  assent, 
and  the  papers  were  replaced,  and  the  secretaire  was  locked 
and  deposited  in  an  armoire  in  silence.  Paul  was  then  about 
to  wish  the  other  good  night,  when  John  Effingham  seized 
his  hand,  and  by  a  gentle  effort  induced  him  to  resume  his 
seat.  An  embarrassing,  but  short  pause  succeeded,  when 
the  latter  spoke. 

“We  have  suffered  enough  in  company,  and  have  seen 
each  other  in  situations  of  sufficient  trial,  to  be  friends,”  he 
said.  “  I  should  feel  mortified  did  I  believe  you  could  think 
me  influenced  by  an  improper  curiosity,  in  wishing  to  share 
more  of  your  confidence  than  perhaps  you  are  willing  to 
bestow ;  I  trust  you  will  attribute  to  its  right  motive  the 
liberty  I  am  now  taking.  Age  makes  some  difference  be¬ 
tween  us,  and  the  sincere  and  strong  interest  I  feel  in  your 
welfare,  ought  to  give  me  a  small  claim  not  to  be  treated  as 
a  total  stranger.  So  jealous  and  watchful  has  this  interest 
been,  I  might  with  truth  call  it  affection,  that  I  have  dis¬ 
covered  you  are  not  situated  exactly  as  other  men  in  your 
condition  of  life  are  situated,  and  I  feel  persuaded  that  the 
sympathy,  perhaps  the  advice,  of  one  so  many  years  older 
than  yourself  might  be  useful.  You  have  already  said  so 
much  to  me  on  the  subject  of  your  personal  situation,  that 
I  almost  feel  a  right  to  ask  for  more.” 

John  Effingham  uttered  this  in  his  mildest  and  most  win¬ 
ning  manner  ;  and  few  men  could  carry  with  them,  on  such 
an  occasion,  more  of  persuasion  in  their  voices  and  looks. 
Paul’s  features  worked,  and  it  was  evident  to  his  companion 
that  he  was  moved,  while,  at  the  same  time,  he  was  not  dis¬ 
pleased. 

“Iam  grateful,  deeply  grateful,  sir,  for  this  interest  in  my 
happiness,”  Paul  answered,  “  and  if  I  knew  the  particular 
points  on  which  you  feel  any  curiosity,  there  is  nothing  that 


Ibonte  as  fount) 


267 


I  can  desire  to  conceal.  Have  the  further  kindness  to  ques¬ 
tion  me,  Mr.  Effingham,  that  I  need  not  touch  on  things  you 
do  not  care  to  hear.  ’  ’ 

All  that  really  concerns  your  welfare  would  have  interest 
with  me.  You  have  been  the  agent  of  rescuing  not  only 
myself,  but  those  whom  most  I  love,  from  a  fate  worse  than 
death ;  and,  a  childless  bachelor  myself,  I  have  more  than 
once  thought  of  attempting  to  supply  the  places  of  those 
natural  friends  that  I  fear  you  have  lost.  Your  parents — ” 

“Are  both  dead.  I  never  knew  either,”  said  Paul,  who 
spoke  huskily,  ‘  ‘  and  will  most  cheerfully  accept  your  gen¬ 
erous  offer,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  attach  to  it  a  single 
condition.” 

“  Beggars  must  not  be  choosers,”  returned  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  “  and  if  you  will  allow  me  to  feel  this  interest  in  you, 
and  occasionally  to  share  in  the  confidence  of  a  father,  I 
shall  not  insist  on  any  unreasonable  terms.  What  is  your 
condition  ?  ” 

“  That  the  word  money  may  be  struck  out  of  our  vocabu¬ 
lary,  and  that  you  leave  your  will  unaltered.  Were  the 
world  to  be  examined,  you  could  not  find  a  worthier  or  a 
lovelier  heiress  than  the  one  you  have  already  selected,  and 
whom  Providence  itself  has  given  you.  Compared  with 
yourself,  I  am  not  rich  ;  but  I  have  a  gentleman’s  income, 
and  as  I  shall  probably  never  marry,  it  will  suffice  for  all 
my  wants.” 

John  Effingham  was  more  pleased  than  he  cared  to  ex¬ 
press,  with  this  frankness,  and  with  the  secret  sympathy 
that  had  existed  between  them ;  but  he  smiled  at  the 
injunction  ;  for,  with  Eve’s  knowledge,  and  her  father’s 
entire  approbation,  he  had  actually  made  a  codicil  to  his 
will,  in  which  their  young  protector  was  left  one  half  of  his 
large  fortune. 

“  The  will  may  remain  untouched,  if  you  desire  it,”  he 
answered  evasively,  “  and  that  condition  is  disposed  of.  I 
am  glad  to  learn  so  directly  from  yourself,  what  your  man¬ 
ner  of  living  and  the  reports  of  others  had  prepared  me  to 
hear,  that  you  are  independent.  This  fact  alone  will  place 
us  solely  on  our  mutual  esteem,  and  render  the  friendship 


268 


Ibome  as  jfou nb 


that  I  hope  is  now  brought  within  a  covenant,  if  not  now 
first  established,  more  equal  and  frank.  You  have  seen 
much  of  the  world,  Powis,  for  your  years  and  profession  ?  ’  ’ 

“It  is  usual  to  think  that  men  of  my  profession  see  much 
of  the  world,  as  a  consequence  of  their  pursuits  ;  though  I 
agree  with  you,  sir,  that  this  is  seeing  the  world  only  in  a 
very  limited  circle.  It  is  now  several  years  since  circum¬ 
stances,  I  might  almost  say  the  imperative  order  of  one 
whom  I  was  bound  to  obey,  induced  me  to  resign,  and  since 
that  time  I  have  done  little  else  but  travel.  Owing  to  cer¬ 
tain  adventitious  causes,  I  have  enjoyed  an  access  to  Euro¬ 
pean  society  that  few  of  our  countrymen  possess,  and  I  hope 
the  advantage  has  not  been  entirely  thrown  away.  It  was 
as  a  traveller  on  the  continent  of  Europe,  that  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  first  meeting  with  Mr.  and  Miss  Effingham.  I 
was  much  abroad,  even  as  a  child,  and  owe  some  little  skill 
in  foreign  languages  to  that  circumstance.” 

“  So  my  cousin  has  informed  me.  You  have  set  the  ques¬ 
tion  of  country  at  rest,  by  declaring  that  you  are  an  Ameri¬ 
can,  and  yet  I  find  you  have  English  relatives.  Captain 
Ducie,  I  believe,  is  a  kinsman?” 

“  He  is.  We  are  sisters*  children,  though  our  friendship 
has  not  always  been  such  as  the  connection  would  infer. 
When  Ducie  and  myself  met  at  sea,  there  was  an  awkward¬ 
ness,  if  not  a  coolness,  in  the  interview,  that,  coupled  with 
my  sudden  return  to  England,  I  fear  did  not  make  the  most 
favorable  impression  on  those  who  witnessed  what  passed.” 

“  We  had  confidence  in  your  principles,”  said  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  with  a  frank  simplicity,  “  and  though  the  first  sur¬ 
mises  were  not  pleasant,  perhaps,  a  little  reflection  told  us 
that  there  was  no  just  ground  for  suspicion.” 

“  Ducie  is  a  fine,  manly  fellow,  and  has  a  seaman’s  gener¬ 
osity  and  sincerity.  I  had  last  parted  from  him  on  the  field, 
where  we  met  as  enemies,  and  the  circumstance  rendered 
the  unexpected  meeting  awkward.  Our  wounds  no  longer 
smarted,  it  is  true ;  but  perhaps,  we  both  felt  shame  and 
sorrow  that  they  had  ever  been  inflicted.” 

‘  ‘  It  should  be  a  very  serious  quarrel  that  could  arm  sisters’ 
children  against  each  other,”  said  John  Effingham,  gravely. 


Ibome  as  jfoun& 


269 


“  I  admit  as  much.  But,  at  that  time,  Captain  Ducie  was 
not  disposed  to  admit  the  consanguinity,  and  the  offence 
grew  out  of  an  intemperate  resentment  of  some  imputations 
on  my  birth  ;  between  two  military  men,  the  issue  could 
scarcely  be  avoided.  Ducie  challenged,  and  I  was  not  then 
in  the  humor  to  balk  him.  A  couple  of  flesh-wounds  hap¬ 
pily  terminated  the  affair.  But  an  interval  of  three  years 
had  enabled  my  enemy  to  discover  that  he  had  not  done  me 
justice  ;  that  I  had  been  causelessly  provoked  to  the  quar¬ 
rel,  and  that  we  ought  to  be  firm  friends.  The  generous 
desire  to  make  suitable  expiation,  urged  him  to  seize  the 
first  occasion  of  coming  to  America  that  offered  ;  and  when 
ordered  to  chase  the  Montauk,  by  a  telegraphic  communi¬ 
cation  from  Eondon,  he  was  hourly  expecting  to  sail  for  our 
seas,  where  he  wished  to  come,  expressly  that  we  might 
meet.  You  will  judge,  therefore,  how  happy  he  was  to  find 
me  unexpectedly  in  the  vessel  that  contained  his  principal 
object  of  pursuit,  thus  killing,  as  it  might  be,  two  birds  with 
one  stone.” 

And  did  he  carry  you  away  with  him  with  any  such  mur¬ 
derous  intention  ?  ”  demanded  John  Effingham,  smiling. 

“By  no  means.  Nothing  could  be  more  amicable  than 
Ducie  and  myself  got  to  be,  when  we  had  been  a  few  hours 
together  in  his  cabin.  As  often  happens,  when  there  have 
been  violent  antipathies  and  unreasonable  prejudices,  a 
nearer  view  of  each  other’s  character  and  motives  removed 
every  obstacle  ;  and  long  before  we  reached  England,  two 
warmer  friends  could  not  be  found,  or  a  more  frank  inter¬ 
course  between  relatives  could  not  be  desired.  You  are 
aware,  sir,  that  our  English  cousins  do  not  often  view  their 
cis-atlantic  relatives  with  the  most  lenient  eyes.” 

“This  is  but  too  true,”  said  John  Effingham,  proudly, 
though  his  lip  quivered  as  he  spoke,  ‘ 1  and  it  is,  in  a  great  meas¬ 
ure,  the  fault  of  that  miserable  mental  bondage  which  has  left 
this  country,  after  sixty  years  of  nominal  independence,  so 
much  at  the  mercy  of  a  hostile  opinion.  It  is  necessary 
that  we  respect  ourselves  in  order  that  others  respect  us.” 

‘  ‘  I  agree  with  you,  sir,  entirely.  In  my  case,  however, 
previous  injustice  disposed  my  relatives  to  receive  me  better, 


270 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


perhaps,  than  might  otherwise  have  been  the  case.  I  had 
little  to  ask  in  the  way  of  fortune,  and  feeling  no  dispo¬ 
sition  to  raise  a  question  that  might  disturb  the  peerage  of 
the  Ducies,  I  became  a  favorite.” 

“  A  peerage  !  Both  your  parents,  then,  were  English?” 

“  Neither,  I  believe  ;  but  the  connection  between  the  two 
countries  was  so  close,  that  it  can  occasion  no  surprise  a 
right  of  this  nature  should  have  passed  into  the  colonies. 
My  mother’s  mother  became  the  heiress  of  one  of  those 
ancient  baronies  that  pass  to  the  heirs-general,  and,  in 
consequence  of  the  deaths  of  two  brothers,  these  rights, 
which,  however,  were  never  actually  possessed  by  any  of 
the  previous  generation,  centred  in  my  mother  and  my 
aunt.  The  former  being  dead,  as  was  contended,  without 
issue — ’  ’ 

‘‘You  forget  yourself !  ” 

“  Eawful  issue,”  added  Paul,  reddening  to  the  temples, 
‘‘I  should  have  added;  Mrs.  Ducie,  who  was  married  to 
the  younger  son  of  an  English  nobleman,  claimed  and 
obtained  the  rank.  My  pretension  would  have  left  the 
peerage  in  abeyance,  and  I  probably  owe  some  little  of  the 
opposition  I  found  to  that  circumstance.  But,  after  Ducie’ s 
generous  conduct,  I  could  not  hesitate  about  joining  in  the 
application  to  the  crown,  that,  by  its  decision,  the  abeyance 
might  be  determined  in  favor  of  the  person  who  was  in 
possession  ;  and  Lady  Dunluce  is  now  quietly  confirmed  in 
her  claim.” 

‘  ‘  There  are  many  young  men  in  this  country  who  would 
cling  to  the  hopes  of  a  British  peerage  with  greater 
tenacity  !  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  It  is  probable  there  are  ;  but  my  self-denial  is  not  of  a 
very  high  order,  for  it  could  scarcely  be  expected  the 
English  ministers  would  consent  to  give  the  rank  to  a 
foreigner  who  did  not  hesitate  about  avowdng  his  principles 
and  national  feelings.  I  shall  not  say  I  did  not  covet  this 
peerage,  for  it  would  be  supererogatory  ;  but  I  am  born  an 
American,  and  will  die  an  American  ;  and  an  American 
who  swaggers  about  .such  a  claim  is  like  the  daw  among  the 
peacocks.  The  less  that  is  said  about  it  the  better.” 


ibome  as  jfounb 


271 


“You  are  fortunate  to  have  escaped  the  journals,  which 
most  probably  would  have  begraced  you,  by  elevating  vou 
at  once  to  the  rank  of  a  duke.” 

“Instead  of  which  I  had  no  other  station  than  that  of 
a  dog  in  the  manger.  If  it  makes  my  aunt  happy  to  be 
called  Eady  Dunluce,  I  am  sure  she  is  welcome  to  the 
privilege  ;  and  when  Ducie  succeeds  her,  as  will  one  day  be 
the  case,  an  excellent  fellow  will  be  a  peer  of  England. 
Voila  tout !  You  are  the  only  countryman,  sir,  to  whom  I 
have  ever  spoken  of  the  circumstance,  and  with  you,  I  trust, 
it  will  remain  a  secret.” 

“  What !  am  I  precluded  from  mentioning  the  facts  in  my 
own  family  ?  I  am  not  the  only  sincere,  the  only  warm 
friend  3^ou  have  in  this  house,  Powis.” 

“  In  that  respect,  I  leave  you  to  act  your  pleasure,  my 
dear  sir.  If  Mr.  Effingham  feels  sufficient  interest  in  my 
fortunes,  to  wish  to  hear  what  I  have  told  you,  let  there  be 
no  silly  mysteries, — or— or  Mademoiselle  Viefville— ” 

“Or  Nanny  Sidley,  or  Annette,”  interrupted  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  with  a  kind  smile.  “  Well,  trust  to  me  for  that ;  but, 
before  we  separate  for  the  night,  I  wish  to  ascertain  beyond 
question  one  other  fact,  although  the  circumstances  you  have 
stated  scarce  leave  a  doubt  of  the  reply.” 

“  I  understand  you,  sir,  and  did  not  intend  to  leave  you 
in  any  uncertainty  on  that  important  particular.  If  there 
can  be  a  feeling  more  painful  than  all  others,  with  a  man 
of  any  pride,  it  is  to  distrust  the  purity  of  his  mother. 
Mine  was  beyond  reproach,  thank  God,  and  so  it  was  most 
clearly  established,  or  I  could  certainly  have  had  no  legal 
claim  to  the  peerage.  ’  ’ 

Or  your  fortune,”  added  John  Effingham,  drawing  a 
long  breath,  like  one  suddenly  relieved  from  an  unpleasant 
suspicion. 

My  fortune  comes  from  neither  parent,  but  from  one 
of  those  generous  dispositions,  or  caprices,  if  you  will,  that 
sometimes  induce  men  to  adopt  those  who  are  alien  to  their 
blood.  My  guardian  adopted  me,  took  me  abroad  with 
him,  and  placed  me,  quite  young,  in  the  navy,  and  dying, 
he  finally  left  me  all  he  possessed.  As  he  was  a  bachelor, 


2)2 


iborne  as  jfounb 


with  no  near  relative,  and  had  been  the  artisan  of  his  own 
fortune,  I  could  have  no  hesitation  about  accepting  the  gift 
he  so  liberally  bequeathed.  It  was  coupled  with  the  condi¬ 
tion  that  I  should  retire  from  the  service,  travel  for  five 
years,  return  home,  and  marry.  There  is  no  silly  forfeiture 
exacted  in  either  case,  but  such  is  the  general  course  sol¬ 
emnly  advised  by  a  man  who  showed  himself  my  true  friend 
for  so  many  years.” 

“  I  envy  him  the  opportunity  he  enjoyed  of  serving  you. 
I  hope  he  would  have  approved  of  your  national  pride,  for  I 
believe  we  must  put  that  at  the  bottom  of  your  disinterested¬ 
ness  in  the  affair  of  the  peerage.” 

“He  would,  indeed  ;  although  he  never  knew  anything 
of  the  claim,  which  arose  out  of  the  death  of  the  two  lords 
who  preceded  my  aunt,  and  who  were  the  brothers  of  my 
grandmother.  My  guardian  was  in  all  respects  a  man,  and 
in  nothing  more  than  in  a  manly  national  pride.  While 
abroad  a  decoration  was  offered  him,  and  he  declined  it  with 
the  character  and  dignity  of  one  who  felt  that  distinctions 
which  his  country  repudiated,  every  gentleman  belonging  to 
that  country  ought  to  reject  ;  and  yet  he  did  it  with  a  re¬ 
spectful  gratitude  for  the  compliment  that  was  due  to  the 
government  from  which  the  offer  came.  ’  ’ 

“I  almost  envy  that  man,”  said  John  Effingham,  with 
warmth.  “  To  have  appreciated  you,  Powis,  was  a  mark  of 
a  high  judgment ;  but  it  seems  he  properly  appreciated  him¬ 
self,  his  country,  and  human  nature.” 

*  ‘  And  yet  he  was  little  appreciated  in  his  turn.  That  man 
passed  years  in  one  of  our  largest  towns,  of  no  more  apparent 
account  among  its  population  than  any  one  of  its  commoner 
spirits,  and  of  not  half  as  much  as  one  of  its  hustling  brokers 
or  jobbers.” 

“In  that  there  is  nothing  surprising.  The  class  of  the 
chosen  few  is  too  small  everywhere,  to  be  very  numerous  at 
any  given  point,  in  a  scattered  population  like  that  of 
America.  The  broker  will  as  naturally  appreciate  the  broker, 
as  the  dog  appreciates  the  dog,  or  the  wolf  the  wolf.  Eeast  of 
all  is  the  manliness  you  have  named  likely  to  be  valued  among 
a  people  who  have  been  put  into  men’s  clothes  before  they  are 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


273 


■* 


Out  of  leading-strings.  I  am  older  than  you,  my  dear  Paul  ” 
—it  was  the  first  time  John  Efiingham  ever  used  so  familiar 
an  appellation,  and  the  young  man  thought  it  sounded 
kindly — “  I  am  older  than  you,  my  dear  Paul,  and  will  ven¬ 
ture  to  tell  you  an  important  fact  that  may  hereafter  lessen 
some  of  your  own  mortifications.  In  most  nations  there  is 
a  high  standard  to  which  man  at  least  affects  to  look  ;  and 
acts  are  extolled  and  seemingly  appreciated  for  their  naked 
merits,  kittle  of  this  exists  in  America,  where  no  man  is 
much  praised  for  himself,  but  for  the  purposes  of  party,  or 
to  feed  national  vanity.  In  the  country  in  which,  of  all 
others,  political  opinion  ought  to  be  the  freest,  it  is  the  most 
persecuted,  and  the  community-character  of  the  nation  in¬ 
duces  every  man  to  think  he  has  a  right  of  property  in  all 
its  fame.  England  exhibits  a  great  deal  of  this  weakness 
and  injustice,  which,  it  is  to  be  feared,  is  a  vicious  fruit  of 
liberty  ;  for  it  is  certain  that  the  sacred  nature  of  opinion 
is  most  appreciated  in  those  countries  in  which  it  has  the 
least  efficiency.  We  are  constantly  deriding  those  govern¬ 
ments  which  fetter  opinion,  and  yet  I  know  of  no  nation  in 
which  the  expression  of  opinion  is  so  certain  to  attract  per¬ 
secution  and  hostility  as  our  own,  though  it  may  be,  and  is, 
in  one  sense,  free.” 

This  arises  from  its  potency.  Men  quarrel  about  opin¬ 
ion  here,  because  opinion  rules.  It  is  but  one  mode  of  strug¬ 
gling  for  power.  But  to  return  to  my  guardian  ;  he  was  a 
man  to  think  and  act  for  himself,  and  as  far  from  the  maga¬ 
zine  and  newspaper  existence  that  most  Americans,  in  a 
moral  sense,  pass,  as  any  man  could  be.” 

“  It  is  indeed  a  newspaper  and  magazine  existence,”  said 
John  Effingham,  smiling  at  Paul’s  terms,  “  to  know  life  only 
through  such  mediums  !  It  is  as  bad  as  the  condition  of 
those  English  who  form  their  notions  of  society  from  novels 
written  by  men  and  women  who  have  no  access  to  it,  and 
from  the  records  of  the  court  journal.  I  thank  you  sincerely, 
Mr.  Powis,  for  this  confidence,  which  has  not  been  idly 
solicited  on  my  part,  and  which  shall  not  be  abused.  At  no 
distant  day  we  will  break  the  seals  again,  and  renew  our 
investigations  into  this  affair  of  the  unfortunate  Monday, 


274 


Ibonte  as  jfounb 


which  is  not  yet,  certainly,  very  promising  in  the  way  of  reve¬ 
lations.” 

The  gentlemen  shook  hands  cordially,  and  Paul,  lighted 
by  his  companion,  withdrew.  When  the  young  man  was  at 
the  door  of  his  own  room  he  turned,  and  saw  John  Effing¬ 
ham  following  him  with  his  eye.  The  latter  then  renewed 
the  good  night,  with  one  of  those  good  winning  smiles  that 
rendered  his  face  so  brilliantly  handsome,  and  each  retired. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


“Item,  a  capon,  2s.  2 d. 

Item,  sauce,  4 d. 

Item,  sack,  two  gallons,  5s.  8 d. 

Item,  bread,  a  half-penny.” 

Shakespeare. 

THE  next  day  John  Effingham  made  no  allusion  to 
the  conversation  of  the  previous  night,  though 
the  squeeze  of  the  hand  he  gave  Paul  when  they 
met,  was  an  assurance  that  nothing  was  forgotten. 
As  he  had  a  secret  pleasure  in  obeying  any  injunction  of 
Eve’s,  the  young  man  himself  sought  Captain  Truck  even 
before  they  had  breakfasted ;  and  as  he  had  made  an  ac¬ 
quaintance  with  ‘  ‘  the  commodore’  ’  on  the  lake,  previously 
to  the  arrival  of  the  Effinghams,  that  worthy  was  sum¬ 
moned,  and  regularly  introduced  to  the  honest  ship-master. 
The  meeting  between  these  two  distinguished  men  was 
grave,  ceremonious,  and  dignified,  each  probably  feeling 
that  he  was  temporarily  the  guardian  of  a  particular  portion 
of  an  element  that  was  equally  dear  to  both.  After  a  few 
minutes  passed,  as  it  might  be,  in  the  preliminary  points  of 
etiquette,  a  better  feeling  and  more  confidence  was  estab¬ 
lished,  and  it  was  soon  settled  that  they  should  fish  in  com¬ 
pany  the  rest  of  the  day,  Paul  promising  to  row  the  ladies 
out  on  the  lake,  and  to  join  them  in  the  course  of  the 
afternoon. 

As  the  party  quitted  the  breakfast-table,  Eve  took  an 
occasion  to  thank  the  young  man  for  his  attention  to  their 
common  friend,  who,  it  was  reported,  had  taken  his  morn¬ 
ing’s  repast  at  an  early  hour,  and  was  already  on  the  lake, 


276 


Iftonie  as  jfounfc 


the  day  by  this  time  having  advanced  within  two  hours  of 
noon. 

‘  ‘  I  have  dared  even  to  exceed  your  instructions,  Miss 
Effingham,”  said  Paul,  “  for  I  have  promised  the  captain  to 
endeavor  to  persuade  you,  and  as  many  of  the  ladies  as 
possible,  to  trust  yourself  to  my  seamanship,  and  to  sub¬ 
mit  to  be  rowed  out  to  the  spot  where  we  shall  6nd  him 
and  his  friend,  the  commodore,  riding  at  anchor.” 

“  An  engagement  that  my  influence  shall  be  used  to 
see  fulfilled.  Mrs.  Bloomfield  has  already  expressed  a  desire 
to  go  on  the  Otsego  water,  and  I  make  no  doubt  I  shall 
find  other  companions.  Once  more  let  me  thank  you  for 
this  little  attention,  for  I  too  well  know  your  tastes  not  to 
understand  that  you  might  find  a  more  agreeable  ward.” 

“  Upon  my  wTord  I  feel  a  sincere  regard  for  our  old  cap¬ 
tain,  and  could  often  wish  for  no  better  companion.  Were 
he,  however,  as  disagreeable  as  I  find  him,  in  truth,  pleas¬ 
ant  and  frank,  your  wishes  would  conceal  all  his  faults.” 

“You  have  learned,  Mr.  Powis,  that  small  attentions  are 
as  much  remembered  as  important  services,  and  after  hav¬ 
ing  saved  our  lives,  wish  to  prove  that  you  can  discharge 
les  petits  devoirs  socials ,  as  well  as  perform  great  deeds.  I 
trust  you  will  persuade  Sir  George  Templemore  to  be  of 
our  party,  and  at  four  we  shall  be  ready  to  accompany  you ; 
until  then  I  am  contracted  to  a  gossip  with  Mrs.  Bloomfield, 
in  her  dressing-room.” 

We  shall  now  leave  the  party  on  the  land,  and  follow 
those  who  have  already  taken  boat,  or  the  fishermen.  The 
beginning  of  the  intercourse  between  the  salt-water  navi¬ 
gator  and  fresh-water  companion  was  again  a  little  con¬ 
strained  and  critical.  Their  professional  terms  agreed  as 
ill  as  possible,  for  when  the  captain  used  the  expression 
“  ship  the  oars,”  the  commodore  understood  just  the  re¬ 
verse  of  what  it  had  been  intended  to  express ;  and  once, 
when  he  told  his  companion  to  ‘  ‘  give  way,  ’  ’  the  latter  took 
the  hint  so  literally  as  actually  to  cease  rowing.  All  these 
professional  niceties  induced  the  worthy  ship-master  to 
undervalue  his  companion,  who,  in  the  main,  was  very  skil¬ 
ful  in  his  particular  pursuit,  though  it  was  a  skill  that  he. 


»*■ 


ifoome  as  jfounb  277 


exerted  after  the  fashions  of  his  own  lake,  and  not  after  the 
fashions  of  the  ocean.  Owing  to  .several  contre-temps  of 
this  nature,  by  the  time  they  reached  the  fishing-ground  the 
captain  began  to  entertain  a  feeling  for  the  commodore, 
that  ill  comported  with  the  deference  due  to  his  titular  rank. 

“  I  have  come  out  with  you,  commodore,”  said  Captain 
Truck,  when  they  had  got  to  their  station,  and  laying  a 
peculiar  emphasis  on  the  appellation  he  used,  “in  order  to 
enjoy  myself,  and  you  will  confer  an  especial  favor  on  me 
by  not  using  such  phrases  as  ‘  cable-rope,  ‘  casting  anchor,’ 
and  ‘titivating.’  As  for  the  first  two,  no  seaman  ever 
uses  them,  and  I  never  heard  such  a  word  on  board  a  ship 

as  the  last.  D - e,  sir,  if  I  believe  it  is  to  be  found  in  the 

dictionary,  even.” 

“  You  amaze  me,  sir  !  ‘  Casting  anchor  ’  and  ‘  cable-rope’ 

are  both  Bible  phrases,  and  they  must  be  right.” 

“  That  follows  by  no  means,  commodore,  as  I  have  some 
reason  to  know  ;  for  my  father  having  been  a  parson  and  I 
being  a  seaman,  we  may  be  said  to  have  the  whole  subject, 
as  it  were,  in  the  family.  St.  Paul — you  have  heard  of 
such  a  man  as  St.  Paul,  commodore  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  I  know  him  almost  by  heart,  Captain  Truck  ;  but  St. 
Peter  and  St.  Andrew  wrere  the  men  most  after  my  heart. 
Ours  is  an  ancient  calling,  sir,  and  in  those  two  instances 
you  see  to  what  a  fisherman  can  rise.  I  do  not  remember 
to  have  ever  heard  of  a  sea-captain  who  was  converted  into 
a  saint.” 

“  Ay,  ay,  there  is  always  too  much  to  do  on  board  ship 
to  have  time  to  be  much  more  than  a  beginner  in  religion. 
There  was  my  mate,  v’y’ge  before  last,  Tom  Teach,  who  is 
now  master  of  a  ship  of  his  own  ;  had  he  been  brought  up 
to  it  properly,  he  would  have  made  as  conscientious  a  parson 
as  did  his  grandfather  before  him.  Such  a  man  would  have 
been  a  seaman  as  well  as  a  parson.  I  have  little  to  say 
against  St.  Peter  or  St.  Andrew,  but,  in  my  judgment, 
they  were  none  the  better  saints  for  having  been  fishermen  ; 
and  if  the  truth  were  known,  I  dare  say  they  were  at  the 
bottom  of  introducing  such  lubberly  phrases  into  the  Bible 
as  ‘  casting  anchor,’  and  ‘  cable-rope.’  ” 


278 


Ifocmte  as  f  ounfc 


“Pray,  sir,”  asked  the  commodore  with  dignity,  “what 
are  you  in  the  practice  of  saying  when  you  speak  on  such 
matters  ?  for,  to  be  frank  with  you,  we  always  use  these 
terms  on  these  lakes.” 

“Ay,  ay,  there  is  a  fresh-water  smell  about  them.  We 
say  ‘anchor,’  or  ‘let  go  the  anchor,’  or  ‘drop  the  an¬ 
chor,’  or  some  such  reasonable  expression,  and  not  ‘cast 
anchor,’  as  if  a  bit  of  iron,  weighing  two  or  three  tons,  is  to 
be  jerked  about  like  a  stone  big  enough  to  kill  a  bird  with. 
As  for  the  ‘  cable-rope,’  as  you  call  it,  we  say  the  ‘  cable,’  or 
‘  the  chain,’  or  ‘  the  ground  tackle,’  according  to  reason  and 
circumstances.  You  never  hear  a  real  ‘  salt  ’  flourishing  his 
‘  cable-ropes,  ’  and  his  ‘  casting  anchors,  ’  which  are  alto¬ 
gether  too  sentimental  and  particular  for  his  manner  of 
speaking.  As  for  ‘  ropes,’  I  suppose  you  have  not  got  to  be 
a  commodore,  and  need  being  told  how  many  there  are  in 
a  ship.” 

“  I  do  not  pretend  to  have  counted  them,  but  I  have  seen 
a  ship,  sir,  and  one  under  full  sail,  too,  and  I  know  there 
were  as  many  ropes  about  her  as  there  are  pines  on  the 
Vision.” 

“  Are  there  more  than  seven  of  these  trees  on  your  moun¬ 
tain?  for  that  is  just  the  number  of  ropes  in  a  merchant¬ 
man  ;  though  a  man-of-war’ s-man  counts  one  or  two  more.” 

“You  astonish  me,  sir!  But  seven  ropes  in  a  ship?  I 
should  have  said  there  are  seven  hundred  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  dare  say — I  dare  say ;  that  is  just  the  way  in  which 
a  landsman  pretends  to  criticise  a  vessel.  As  for  the  ropes, 
I  will  now  give  you  their  names,  and  then  you  can  lay 
athwart-hawse  of  these  canoe  gentry  by  the  hour,  and  teach 
them  rigging  and  modesty  both  at  the  same  time.  I11  the 
first  place,”  continued  the  captain,  jerking  at  his  line,  and 
then  beginning  to  count  on  his  fingers,  ‘  ‘  there  is  the  ‘  man- 
rope  ’  ;  then  come  the  ‘bucket-rope,’  the  ‘tiller-rope,’  the 
‘  bolt-rope, ’the  ‘foot-rope,’  the  ‘  top-rope,’  and  the  ‘limber- 
rope.’  I  have  followed  the  seas,  now,  more  than  half  a 
century,  and  never  yet  heard  of  a  ‘cable-rope,’  from  any 
one  who  could  hand,  reef,  and  steer.” 

“  Well,  sir,  every  man  to  his  trade,”  said  the  commodore, 


Ibotne  as  ffounfc 


279 


who  just  then  pulled  in  a  fine  pickerel,  which  was  the  third 
he  had  taken,  while  his  companion  rejoiced  in  no  more 
than  a  few  fruitless  bites.  “You  are  more  expert  in  ropes 
than  in  lines,  it  would  seem.  I  shall  not  deny  your  expe¬ 
rience  and  knowledge  ;  but  in  the  way  of  fishing,  you  will 
at  least  allow  that  the  sea  is  no  great  school.  I  dare  say, 
now,  if  you  were  to  hook  the  ‘  sogdollager,’  we  should  have 
you  jumping  into  the  lake  to  get  rid  of  him.  Quite  prob¬ 
ably,  sir,  you  never  before  heard  of  that  celebrated  fish  ?  ’  ’ 

Notwithstanding  the  many  excellent  qualities  of  Captain 
Truck,  he  had  a  weakness  that  is  rather  peculiar  to  a  class 
of  men,  who,  having  seen  so  much  of  this  earth,  are  unwill¬ 
ing  to  admit  they  have  not  seen  it  all.  The  little  brush  in 
which  he  was  now  engaged  with  the  commodore  he  con¬ 
ceived  due  to  his  own  dignity,  and  his  motive  was  duly  to 
impress  his  companion  with  his  superiority,  which  being 
fairly  admitted,  he  would  have  been  ready  enough  to  ac¬ 
knowledge  that  the  other  understood  pike-fishing  much 
better  than  himself.  But  it  was  quite  too  early  in  the  dis¬ 
cussion  to  make  any  such  avowal,  and  the  supercilious 
remark  of  the  commodore  putting  him  on  his  mettle,  he  was 
ready  to  affirm  that  he  had  eaten  ‘  ‘  sogdollagers  ’  ’  for  break¬ 
fast,  a  month  at  a  time,  had  it  been  necessary. 

“Pooh!  pooh!  man,”  returned  the  captain,  with  an  air 
of  cool  indifference,  “  you  do  not  surely  fancy  that  you 
have  anything  in  a  lake  like  this  that  is  not  to  be  found  in 
the  ocean  !  If  you  were  to  see  a  whale’s  flukes  thrashing 
your  puddle,  every  cruiser  among  3^011  would  run  for  a  port ; 
and  as  for  ‘  sogdollagers,  ’  we  think  little  of  them  in  salt 
water ;  the  ftying-fish,  or  even  the  dry  dolphin,  being  much 
the  best  eating.’’ 

“Sir,’’  said  the  commodore,  with  some  heat,  and  a  great 
deal  of  emphasis,  “there  is  but  one  ‘  sogdollager  ’  in  the 
world,  and  he  is  in  this  lake.  No  man  has  ever  seen  him 
but  my  predecessor,  the  ‘  admiral,’  and  myself.’’ 

“  Bah  !  ’’  ejaculated  the  captain  ;  “  they  are  as  plenty  as 
soft  clams  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  the  Egyptians  use 
them  as  a  pan-fish.  In  the  East  they  catch  them  to  bait 
with,  for  halibut  and  other  middling-sized  creatures,  that  are 


28o 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


particular  about  their  diet.  It  is  a  good  fish,  I  own,  as  is 
seen  in  this  very  circumstance.” 

“Sir,”  repeated  the  commodore,  flourishing  his  hand,  and 
waxing  warm  with  earnestness,  “  there  is  but  one  ‘  sogdol- 
lager  ’  in  the  universe,  and  that  is  in  Lake  Otsego.  A  ‘  sog- 
dollager  ’  is  a  salmon-trout  and  not  a  species  ;  a  sort  of  father 
to  all  the  salmon-trout  in  this  part  of  the  world  ;  a  scaly 
patriarch.” 

“  I  make  no  doubt  your  ‘  sogdollager’  is  scaly  enough  ; 
but  what  is  the  use  in  wasting  words  about  such  a  trifle  ? 
A  whale  is  the  only  fish  fit  to  occupy  a  gentleman’s  thoughts. 
As  long  as  I  have  been  at  sea,  I  have  never  witnessed  the 
taking  of  more  than  three  whales.” 

This  allusion  happily  preserved  the  peace ;  for,  if  there 
were  anything  in  the  world  for  which  the  commodore  enter¬ 
tained  a  profound  but  obscure  reverence,  it  was  for  a  whale. 
He  even  thought  better  of  a  man  for  having  actually  seen 
one  gambolling  in  the  freedom  of  the  ocean  ;  and  his  mind 
became  suddenly  oppressed  by  the  glory  of  a  mariner  who 
had  passed  his  life  among  such  gigantic  animals.  Shoving 
back  his  cap,  the  old  man  gazed  steadily  at  the  captain  a 
minute,  and  all  his  displeasure  about  the  “  sogdollagers,” 
vanished,  though,  in  his  inmost  mind,  he  set  down  all  that 
the  other  had  told  him  on  that  particular  subject  as  so  many 
parts  of  a  regular  “fish-story.” 

“  Captain  Truck,”  he  said,  with  solemnity,  “  I  acknowl¬ 
edge  myself  to  be  but  an  ignorant  and  inexperienced  man, 
one  who  has  passed  his  life  on  this  lake,  which,  broad  and 
beautiful  as  it  is,  must  seem  a  pond  in  the  eyes  of  a  seaman 
like  yourself,  who  have  passed  your  days  on  the  A’lantic — ” 

“  Atlantic  !  ”  interrupted  the  captain,  contemptuously,  “  I 
should  have  but  a  poor  opinion  of  myself,  had  I  seen  noth¬ 
ing  but  the  Atlantic  !  Indeed,  I  never  can  believe  I  am  at 
sea  at  all  on  the  Atlantic,  the  passages  between  New  York 
and  Portsmouth,  being  little  more  than  so  much  canalling 
along  a  tow-path.  If  you  wish  to  say  anything  about 
oceans,  talk  of  the  Pacific  or  of  the  Great  South  Sea,  where 
a  man  may  run  a  month  with  a  fair  wind,  and  hardly  go 
from  island  to  island.  Indeed,  that  is  an  ocean  in  which 


ibome  as  jfounfc 


281 


there  is  a  manufactory  of  islands,  for  they  turn  them  off  in 
lots  to  supply  the  market,  and  of  a  size  to  suit  customers.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  A  manufactory  of  islands  !  ’  ’  repeated  the  commodore, 
who  began  to  entertain  an  awe  of  his  companion  that  he 
never  expected  to  feel  for  any  human  being  on  Lake  Ot¬ 
sego  ;  “  are  you  certain,  sir,  there  is  no  mistake  in  this  ?  ” 

“None  in  the  least;  not  only  islands,  but  whole  archi¬ 
pelagos  are  made  annually  by  the  sea  insects  in  that  quarter 
of  the  world  ;  but,  then,  you  are  not  to  form  your  notions  of 
an  insect  in  such  an  ocean  by  the  insects  you  see  in  such  a 
bit  of  water  as  this.” 

“  As  big  as  our  pickerel,  or  salmon-trout,  I  dare  say?  ” 
returned  the  commodore,  in  the  simplicity  of  his  heart,  for 
by  this  time  his  local  and  exclusive  conceit  was  thoroughly 
humbled,  and  he  was  almost  ready  to  believe  anything. 

‘  ‘  I  say  nothing  of  their  size,  for  it  is  to  their  numbers  and 
industry  that  I  principally  allude  now.  A  solitary  shark,  I 
dare  say,  would  set  your  whole  lake  in  commotion  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  think  we  might  manage  a  shark,  sir.  I  once  saw  one 
of  those  animals,  and  I  do  really  believe  the  ‘  sogdollager  ’ 
would  outweigh  him.  I  do  think  we  might  manage  a  shark, 
sir. 

‘  ‘  Ay,  you  mean  an  in-shore,  high-latitude  fellow.  But 
what  would  you  say  to  a  shark  so  long  as  one  of  those  pines 
on  the  mountain  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Such  a  monster  would  take  in  a  man,  whole  ?  ” 

“A  man!  He  would  take  in  a  platoon,  Indian  file.  I 
dare  say  one  of  those  pines,  now,  may  be  thirty  or  forty  feet 
high  !  ’  ’ 

A  gleam  of  intelligence  and  of  exultation  shot  across  the 
weather-beaten  face  of  the  old  fisherman,  for  he  detected  a 
weak  spot  in  the  other’s  knowledge.  The  worthy  captain, 
with  that  species  of  exclusiveness  which  accompanies  excel¬ 
lence  in  any  one  thing,  was  quite  ignorant  of  most  matters 
that  pertain  to  the  land.  That  there  should  be  a  tree,  so  far 
inland,  that  was  larger  than  his  main-yard,  he  did  not  think 
probable,  although  that  yard  itself  was  made  of  part  of  a 
tree ;  and,  in  the  laudable  intention  of  duly  impressing  his 
companion  with  the  superiority  of  a  real  seaman  over  a  mere 


282 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


fresh-water  navigator,  he  had  inadvertently  laid  bare  a  weak 
spot  in  his  estimate  of  heights  and  distances,  that  the  com¬ 
modore  seized  upon  with  some  such  avidity  as  the  pike  seizes 
the  hook.  This  accidental  mistake  alone  saved  the  latter 
from  an  abject  submission,  for  the  cool  superiority  of  the 
captain  had  so  far  deprived  him  of  his  conceit,  that  he  was 
almost  ready  to  acknowledge  himself  no  better  than  a  dog, 
when  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  light  through  this  opening. 

‘  ‘  There  is  not  a  pine,  that  can  be  called  of  age,  on  all  the 
mountain,  which  is  not  more  than  a  hundred  feet  high,  and 
many  are  nearer  two,”  he  cried  in  exultation,  flourishing  his 
hand.  “The  sea  may  have  its  big  monsters,  captain,  but 
our  hills  have  their  big  trees.  Did  you  ever  see  a  shark 
half  that  length  ?  ” 

Now,  Captain  Truck  was  a  man  of  truth,  although  so 
much  given  to  occasional  humorous  violations  of  its  laws, 
and,  withal,  a  little  disposed  to  dwell  upon  the  marvels  of 
the  great  deep  in  the  spirit  of  exaggeration,  and  he  could 
not  in  conscience  affirm  anything  so  extravagant  as  this. 
He  was  accordingly  obliged  to  admit  his  mistake,  and  from 
this  moment  the  conversation  was  carried  on  with  a  greater 
regard  to  equality.  They  talked,  as  they  fished,  of  politics, 
religion,  philosophy,  human  nature,  the  useful  arts,  aboli¬ 
tion,  and  most  other  subjects  that  would  be  likely  to  interest 
a  couple  of  Americans  who  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  twitch, 
from  time  to  time,  at  two  lines  dangling  in  the  water.  Al¬ 
though  few  people  possess  less  of  the  art  of  conversation  than 
our  own  countrymen,  no  other  nation  takes  as  wide  a  range 
in  its  discussions.  He  is  but  a  very  indifferent  American 
that  does  not  know,  or  think  he  knows,  a  little  of  everything, 
and  neither  of  our  worthies  was  in  the  least  backward  in 
supporting  the  claims  of  the  national  character  in  this  re¬ 
spect.  This  general  discussion  completely  restored  amity 
between  the  parties  ;  for,  to  confess  the  truth,  our  old  friend 
the  captain  was  a  little  rebuked  about  the  affair  of  the  tree. 
The  only  peculiarity  worthy  of  notice,  that  occurred  in  the 
course  of  their  various  digressions,  was  the  fact,  that  the  com¬ 
modore  insensibly  began  to  style  his  companion  “  general  ”  ; 
the  courtesy  of  the  couutry ,  in  his  eyes,  appearing  to  require 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


283 


that  a  man  who  had  seen  so  much  more  than  himself,  should, 
at  least,  enjoy  a  title  equal  to  his  own  in  rank,  and  that  of 
admiral  being  proscribed  by  the  sensitiveness  of  republican 
principles.  After  fishing  a  few  hours,  the  old  laker  pulled 
the  skiff  up  to  the  Point  so  often  mentioned,  where  he  lighted 
a  fire  on  the  grass,  and  prepared  a  dinner.  When  every¬ 
thing  was  ready,  the  two  seated  themselves,  and  began  to 
enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  labors  in  a  way  that  will  be  under¬ 
stood  by  all  sportsmen. 

“  I  have  never  thought  of  asking  you,  general,”  said  the 
commodore,  as  he  began  to  masticate  a  perch,  “whether 
you  are  an  aristocrat  ora  democrat.  We  have  had  the  gov¬ 
ernment  pretty  much  upside-down,  too,  this  morning,  but 
this  question  has  escaped  me.” 

“  As  we  are  here  by  ourselves  under  these  venerable  oaks, 
and  talking  like  two  old  messmates,”  returned  the  general, 
“  I  shall  just  own  the  truth,  and  make  no  bones  of  it.  I 
have  been  captain  of  my  own  ship  so  long,  that  I  have  a 
most  thorough  contempt  for  all  equality.  It  is  a  vice  that  I 
deprecate,  and,  whatever  may  be  the  laws  of  this  country,  I 
am  of  opinion  that  equality  is  nowhere  borne  out  by  the  law 
of  nations  ;  which,  after  all,  commodore,  is  the  only  true 
law  for  a  gentleman  to  live  under.” 

“That  is  the  law  of  the  strongest,  if  I  understand  the 
matter,  general.” 

‘  ‘  Only  reduced  to  rules.  The  law  of  nations,  to  own  the 
truth  to  you,  is  full  of  categories,  and  this  will  give  an  enter¬ 
prising  man  an  opportunity  to  make  use  of  his  knowledge. 
Would  you  believe,  commodore,  that  there  are  countries  in 
which  they  lay  taxes  on  tobacco  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Taxes  on  tobacco  !  Sir,  I  never  heard  of  such  an  act  of 
oppression  under  the  forms  of  law  !  What  has  tobacco 
done,  that  any  one  should  think  of  taxing  it  ?  ” 

“  I  believe,  commodore,  that  its  greatest  offence  is  being 
so  general  a  favorite.  Taxation,  I  have  found,  differs  from 
most  other  things,  generally  attacking  that  which  men  most 
prize.” 

“This  is  quite  new  to  me,  general;  a  tax  on  tobacco! 
The  law-makers  in  those  countries  cannot  chew.  I  drink 


284 


Ibome  as  jfouni* 


to  your  good  health,  sir,  and  to  many  happy  returns  of  such 
banquets  as  this.  ’  ’ 

Here  the  commodore  raised  a  large  silver  punch-bowl 
which  Pierre  had  furnished,  to  his  lips,  and  fastening  his 
eyes  on  the  boughs  of  a  gnarled  oak,  he  looked  like  a  man 
who  was  taking  an  observation,  for  near  a  minute.  All  this 
time,  the  captain  regarded  him  with  a  sympathetic  pleas¬ 
ure,  and  when  the  bowl  was  free,  he  imitated  the  example, 
levelling  his  own  eye  at  a  cloud,  that  seemed  floating  at  an 
angle  of  forty-five  degrees  above  him,  expressly  for  that 
purpose. 

There  is  a  lazy  cloud  !  ’  ’  exclaimed  the  general,  as  he 
let  go  his  hold  to  catch  breath  ;  “I  have  been  watching  it 
some  time,  and  it  has  not  moved  an  inch.” 

Tobacco  !  ’  ’  repeated  the  commodore,  drawing  a  long 
breath,  as  if  he  was  just  recovering  the  play  of  his  lungs, 
“  I  should  as  soon  think  of  laying  a  tax  on  punch.  The 
country  that  pursues  such  a  policy  must  sooner  or  later 
meet  with  a  downfall.  I  never  knew  good  to  come  of  per¬ 
secution.” 

1  ‘  I  find  you  are  a  sensible  man,  commodore,  and  regret  I 
did  not  make  your  acquaintance  earlier  in  life.  Have  you 
yet  made  up  your  mind  on  the  subject  of  religious  faith?  ” 

“  Why,  my  dear  general,  not  to  be  nibbling,  like  a  sucker 
with  a  sore  mouth,  with  a  person  of  your  liberality,  I  shall 
give  you  a  plain  history  of  my  adventures,  in  the  way  of 
experiences,  that  you  may  judge  for  yourself.  I  was  born 
an  Episcopalian,  if  one  can  say  so,  but  was  converted  to 
Presbyterianism  at  twenty.  I  stuck  to  this  denomination 
about  five  years,  when  I  thought  I  would  try  the  Baptists, 
having  got  to  be  fond  of  the  water  by  this  time.  At  thirty- 
two  I  fished  awhile  with  the  Methodists ;  since  which  con¬ 
version,  I  have  chosen  to  worship  God  pretty  much  by 
myself,  out  here  on  the  lake.” 

‘  ‘  Do  you  consider  it  any  harm  to  hook  a  fish  of  a 
Sunday  ? ’  ’ 

“  No  more  than  it  is  to  eat  a  fish  of  a  Sunday.  I  go 
altogether  by  faith  in  my  religion,  general,  for  they  talk  so 
much  to  me  of  the  uselessness  of  works,  that  I  ’ve  got  to  be 


Ibome  as  jfounft 


285 


very  unparticular  as  to  what  I  do.  Your  people  who  have 
been  converted  four  or  five  times  are  like  so  many  pickerel, 
which  strike  at  every  hook.” 

“This  is  very  much  my  case.  Now,  on  the  river — of 
course  you  know  where  the  river  is  ?  ” 

“  Certain,”  said  the  commodore  ;  “  it  is  at  the  foot  of  the 
lake.” 

‘‘My  dear  commodore,  when  we  say  ‘the  river,’  we 
always  mean  the  Connecticut ;  and  I  am  surprised  a  man 
of  your  sagacity  should  require  to  be  told  this.  There  are 
people  on  the  river  who  contend  that  a  ship  should  heave-to 
of  a  Sunday.  They  did  talk  of  getting  up  an  Anti-Sunday- 
Sailing-Society,  but  the  ship-masters  were  too  many  for 
them,  since  they  threatened  to  start  a  society  to  put  down 
the  growing  of  inyens  (the  captain  would  sometimes  use 
this  pronunciation)  except  of  week-days.  Well,  I  started 
in  life  on  the  Platform  tack,  in  the  way  of  religion,  and  I 
believe  I  shall  stand  on  the  same  course  till  orders  come 
to  ‘  cast  anchor,’  as  you  call  it.  With  you,  I  hold  out  for 
faith,  as  the  one  thing  needful.  Pray,  my  good  friend, 
what  are  your  real  sentiments  concerning  ‘  Old  Hickory  ’  ?  ” 
‘‘Tough,  sir;  tough  as  a  day  in  February  on  this  lake. 
All  fins,  and  gills,  and  bones.” 

‘‘That  is  the  justest  character  I  have  yet  heard  of  the  old 
gentleman  ;  and  then  it  says  so  much  in  a  few  words  ;  no 
category  about  it.  I  hope  the  punch  is  to  your  liking  ?  ’  ’ 

On  this  hint  the  old  fisherman  raised  the  bowl  a  second 
time  to  his  lips,  and  renewed  the  agreeable  duty  of  letting 
its  contents  flow  down  his  throat  in  a  pleasant  stream.  This 
time  he  took  aim  at  a  gull  that  was  sailing  over  his  head, 
only  relinquishing  the  draught  as  the  bird  settled  into  the 
water.  The  “  general  ”  was  more  particular;  for  selecting 
a  stationary  object  in  the  top  of  an  oak  that  grew  on  the 
mountain  near  him,  he  studied  it  with  an  admirable  abstruse¬ 
ness  of  attention,  until  the  last  drop  was  drained.  As  soon 
as  this  startling  fact  was  mentioned,  however,  both  the 
convives  set  about  repairing  the  accident,  by  squeezing 
lemons,  sweetening  water,  and  mixing  liquors,  secundum 
artem.  At  the  same  time,  each  lighted  a  cigar  and  the 


286  Ifoome  as  ffounb 


conversation,  for  some  time,  was  carried  on  between  their 
teeth. 

“  We  have  been  so  frank  with  each  other  to-day,  my  excel¬ 
lent  commodore,”  said  Captain  Truck,  “  that  did  I  know  your 
true  sentiments  concerning  temperance  societies,  I  should 
look  on  your  inmost  soul  as  a  part  of  myself.  By  these  free 
communications  men  get  really  to  know  each  other.” 

“  If  liquor  is  not  made  to  be  drunk,  for  what  is  it  made  ? 
Any  one  may  see  that  this  lake  was  made  for  skiffs  and 
fishing  ;  it  has  a  length,  breadth,  and  depth,  suited  to  such 
purposes.  Now,  here  is  liquor  distilled,  bottled,  and  corked, 
and  I  ask  if  all  does  not  show  that  it  was  made  to  be  drunk  ? 
I  dare  say  your  temperance  men  are  ingenious,  but  let  them 
answer  that  if  they  can.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  wish  from  my  heart,  my  dear  sir,  we  had  known  each 
other  fifty  years  since.  That  would  have  brought  you 
acquainted  with  salt-water,  and  left  nothing  to  be  desired  in 
your  character.  We  think  alike,  I  believe,  in  everything 
but  on  the  virtues  of  fresh- water.  If  these  temperance 
people  had  their  way,  we  should  all  be  turned  into  so  many 
Turks,  who  never  taste  wine,  and  yet  marry  a  dozen  wives.” 

“One  of  the  great  merits  of  fresh-water,  general,  is  what 
I  call  its  mixable  quality.” 

“There  would  be  an  end  to  Saturday  nights,  too,  which 
are  the  seamen’s  tea-parties.” 

“  I  question  if  many  of  them  fish  in  the  rain  from  sunrise 
to  sunset.” 

“  Or  stand  their  watches  in  wet  pea-jackets  from  sunset 
to  sunrise.  Splicing  the  main-brace  at  such  times  is  the 
very  quintessence  of  human  enjoyments.” 

“  If  liquors  were  not  made  to  be  drunk,”  put  in  the  com¬ 
modore,  logically,  “  I  would  again  ask  for  what  are  they 
made  ?  Let  the  temperance  men  get  over  that  difficulty  if 
they  can.” 

Commodore,  I  wish  you  twenty  more  good  hearty  years 
of  fishing  in  this  lake,  which  grows,  each  instant,  more 
beautiful  in  my  eyes,  as  I  confess  does  the  whole  earth  ;  and 
to  show  you  that  I  say  no  more  than  I  think,  I  will  clench 
it  with  a  draught.” 


Ibonte  as  fourth 


287 


Captain  Truck  now  brought  his  right  eye  to  bear  on  the 
new  moon,  which  happened  to  be  at  a  convenient  height, 
closed  the  left  one,  and  continued  in  that  attitude  until  the 
commodore  began  seriously  to  think  he  was  to  get  nothing 
besides  the  lemon-seeds  for  his  share.  This  apprehension, 
however,  could  only  arise  from  ignorance  of  his  companion’s 
character,  than  whom  a  juster  man,  according  to  the  notions 
of  ship-masters,  did  not  live  ;  and  had  one  measured  the 
punch  that  was  left  in  the  bowl  when  this  draught  was 
ended,  he  would  have  found  that  precisely  one-half  of  it 
was  still  untouched,  to  a  thimbleful.  The  commodore  now 
had  his  turn  ;  and  before  he  got  through,  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel  was  as  much  uppermost  as  the  butt  of  a  clubbed  fire¬ 
lock.  When  the  honest  fisherman  took  breath  after  this 
exploit,  and  lowered  his  cup  from  the  vault  of  heaven  to 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  he  caught  a  view  of  a  boat  cross¬ 
ing  the  lake,  coming  from  the  Silent  Pine,  to  that  Point  on 
which  they  were  enjoying  so  many  agreeable  hallucina¬ 
tions  on  the  subject  of  temperance. 

“  Yonder  is  the  party  from  the  Wigwam,”  he  said,  “  and 
they  will  be  just  in  time  to  become  converts  to  our  opinions, 
if  they  have  any  doubts  on  the  subjects  we  have  discussed. 
Shall  we  give  up  the  ground  to  them,  by  taking  to  the  skiff, 
or  do  you  feel  disposed  to  face  the  women  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Under  ordinary  circumstances,  commodore,  I  should 
prefer  your  society  to  all  the  petticoats  in  the  State,  but  there 
are  two  ladies  in  that  party,  either  of  whom  I  would  marry, 
any  day,  at  a  minute’s  warning.” 

“  Sir,”  said  the  commodore,  with  a  tone  of  warning,  “  we, 
who  have  lived  bachelors  so  long,  and  are  wedded  to  the 
water,  ought  never  to  speak  lightly  on  so  grave  a  subject.” 

“  Nor  do  I.  Two  women,  one  of  whom  is  twenty,  and 
the  other  seventy — and  hang  me  if  I  know  which  I  prefer.  ’  ’ 
“You  would  soonest  be  rid  of  the  last,  my  dear  general, 
and  my  advice  is  to  take  her.” 

Old  as  she  is,  sir,  a  king  would  have  to  plead  hard 
to  get  her  consent.  We  will  make  them  some  punch, 
that  they  may  see  we  were  mindful  of  them  in  their 
absence.” 


288 


iborne  as  ffounb 


To  work  these  worthies  now  went  in  earnest,  in  order  to 
anticipate  the  arrival  of  the  party,  and  as  the  different  com¬ 
pounds  were  in  the  course  of  mingling,  the  conversation  did 
not  flag.  By  this  time  both  the  salt-water  and  the  fresh¬ 
water  sailor  were  in  that  condition  when  men  are  apt  to 
think  aloud,  and  the  commodore  had  lost  all  his  awe  of  his 
companion. 

‘  ‘  My  dear  sir,  ’  ’  said  the  former,  ‘  ‘  I  am  a  thousand  times 
sorry  you  came  from  that  river,  for,  to  tell  you  my  mind 
without  any  concealment,  my  only  objection  to  you  is  that 
you  are  not  of  the  Middle  States.  I  admit  the  good  quali¬ 
ties  of  the  Yankees,  in  a  general  way,  and  yet  they  are  the 
very  worst  neighbors  that  a  man  can  have.  ’  ’ 

“This  is  a  new  character  of  them,  commodore,  as  they 
generally  pass  for  the  best  in  their  own  eyes.  I  should  like 
to  hear  you  explain  your  meaning.” 

‘  ‘  I  call  him  a  bad  neighbor  who  never  remains  long 
enough  in  a  place  to  love  anything  but  himself.  Now,  sir, 
I  have  a  feeling  for  every  pebble  on  the  shore  of  this  lake, 
a  sympathy  with  every  wave,” — here  the  commodore  began 
to  twirl  his  hand  about,  with  the  fingers  standing  apart,  like 
so  many  spikes  in  a  chevaux-de-frise , — “and  each  hour,  as 
I  row  across  it,  I  find  I  like  it  better  ;  and  yet,  sir,  would 
you  believe  me,  I  often  go  away  of  a  morning  to  pass  the 
day  on  the  water,  and,  on  returning  home  at  night,  find  half 
the  houses  filled  with  new  faces.” 

‘  ‘  What  becomes  of  the  old  ones  ?  ’  ’  demanded  Captain 
Truck  ;  for  this,  it  struck  him,  was  getting  the  better  of 
him  with  his  own  weapons.  ‘  ‘  Do  you  mean  that  the  people 
come  and  go  like  the  tides  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Exactly  so,  sir  ;  just  as  it  used  to  be  with  the  herrings 
in  the  Otsego,  before  the  Susquehannah  was  dammed,  and  is 
still,  with  the  swallows.” 

“Well,  well,  my  good  friend,  take  consolation.  You’ll 
meet  all  the  faces  you  ever  saw  here,  one  day,  in  heaven.” 

“Never!  Not  a  man  of  them  will  stay  there,  if  there 
be  such  a  thing  as  moving.  Depend  on  it,  sir,”  added  the 
commodore,  in  the  simplicity  of  his  heart,  “heaven  is  no 


ibome  as  jpounb 


289 


place  for  a  Yankee,  if  he  can  get  farther  west,  by  hook  or 
by  crook.  They  are  all  too  uneasy  for  any  steady  occupa¬ 
tion.  You,  who  are  a  navigator,  must  know  something 
concerning  the  stars.  Is  there  such  a  thing  as  another 
world,  that  lies  west  of  this  ?  ” 

“  That  can  hardly  be,  commodore,  since  the  points  of  the 
compass  only  refer  to  objects  on  this  earth.  You  know,  I 
suppose,  that  a  man  starting  from  this  spot,  and  travelling 
due  west,  would  arrive  in  time  at  this  very  point,  coming 
in  from  the  east.  So  that  what  is  west  to  us,  in  the  heavens, 
on  this  side  of  the  world,  is  east  to  those  on  the  other.” 

“  This  I  confess  I  did  not  know,  general.  I  have  under¬ 
stood  that  what  is  good  in  one  man’s  eyes,  wall  be  bad  in 
another’s  ;  but  never  before  have  I  heard  that  what  is  west 
to  one  man,  lies  east  to  another.  I  am  afraid,  general,  that 
there  is  a  little  of  the  sogdollager  bait  in  this  ?  ’  ’ 

“Not  enough,  sir,  to  catch  the  merest  fresh-water  gud¬ 
geon  that  swims.  No,  no ;  there  is  neither  east  nor  west 
off  the  earth,  nor  any  up  and  down  ;  and  so  we  Yankees 
must  try  and  content  ourselves  with  heaven.  Now,  com¬ 
modore,  hand  me  the  bowl,  and  we  will  get  it  ready  down  to 
the  shore,  and  offer  the  ladies  our  homage.  And  .so  you 
have  become  a  laker  in  your  religion,  my  dear  commodore,” 
continued  the  general,  between  his  teeth,  while  he  smoked 
and  squeezed  a  lemon  at  the  same  time,  ‘  ‘  and  do  your  wor¬ 
shipping  on  the  water  ?  ’  ’ 

“Altogether  of  late,  and  more  especially  since  my 
dream  ?  ’  ’ 

Dream  !  My  dear  sir,  I  should  think  you  altogether  too 
innocent  a  man  to  dream.” 

“The  best  of  us  have  our  failings,  general.  I  do  some¬ 
times  dream,  I  own,  as  well  as  the  greatest  sinner  of  them 
all.” 

“  And  what  did  you  dream — the  sogdollager  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  I  dreamt  of  death.  ’  ’ 

“  Of  slipping  the  cable  !”  cried  the  general,  looking  up 
suddenly.  “  Well,  what  was  the  drift  ?  ” 

“Why,  sir,  having  no  wings,  I  went  down  below,  and 

*9 


2g6 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


soon  found  myself  in  the  presence  of  the  old  gentleman 
himself.” 

“That  was  pleasant.  Had  he  a  tail?  I  have  always 
been  curious  to  know  whether  he  really  has  a  tail  or  not. 

“  I  saw  none,  sir  ;  but  then  we  stood  face  to  face,  like 
gentlemen,  and  I  cannot  describe  what  I  did  not  see.” 

“  Was  he  glad  to  see  you,  commodore  ?  ” 

“Why,  sir,  he  was  civilly  spoken,  but  his  occupation 
prevented  many  compliments.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Occupation  !  ’  ’ 

“  Certainly,  sir  ;  he  was  cutting  out  shoes,  for  his  imps  to 
travel  about  in,  in  order  to  stir  up  mischief.” 

“And  did  he  set  you  to  work?  This  is  a  sort  of  state- 
prison  affair,  after  all  !  ” 

“  No,  sir,  he  was  too  much  of  a  gentleman  to  set  me  at 
making  shoes  as  soon  as  I  arrived.  He  first  inquired  what 
part  of  the  country  I  was  from,  and  when  I  told  him,  he 
was  curious  to  know  what  most  of  the  people  were  about 
in  our  neighborhood.” 

“You  told  him,  of  course,  commodore?” 

“  Certainly,  sir,  I  told  him  their  chief  occupation  was 
quarrelling  about  religion — making  saints  of  themselves,  and 
sinners  of  their  neighbors.  ‘  Hollo  !  ’  says  the  devil,  calling 
to  one  of  his  imps,  ‘  boy,  run  and  catch  my  horse.  I  must 
be  off,  and  have  a  finger  in  that  pie.  What  denominations 
have  you  in  that  quarter,  commodore  ?  ’  So  I  told  him,  gen¬ 
eral,  that  we  had  Baptists,  and  Quakers,  and  Universalists, 
and  Episcopalians,  and  Presbyterians,  old  lights,  new  lights, 
and  blue  lights  ;  and  Methodists —  ‘  Stop,’  said  the  devil, 

‘  that  \s  enough  ;  you  imp,  be  nimble  with  that  horse.  Eet 
me  see,  commodore,  what  part  of  the  country  did  you  say 
you  came  from  ?  ’  I  told  him  the  name  more  distinctly  this 
time — ” 

‘  ‘  The  very  spot  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Town  and  county.” 

4  4  And  what  did  the  devil  say  to  that  ?  ’  ’ 

44  He  called  out  to  the  imp  again,  4  Hollo,  you  boy,  never 
mind  that  horse.  These  people  will  all  be  here  before  I 
can  get  there.  ’  ’  ’ 


tbome  as  fount) 


291 


Here  the  commodore  and  the  general  began  to  laugh, 
until  the  arches  of  the  forest  rang  with  their  merriment. 
Three  times  they  stopped,  and  as  often  did  they  return  to 
their  glee,  until,  the  punch  being  ready,  each  took  a  fresh 
draught,  in  order  to  ascertain  if  it  were  fit  to  be  offered  to 
the  ladies. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

“Q  Romeo,  Romeo,  wherefore  art  thou  Romeo?” 

Romeo  and  Juliet. 

THE  usual  effect  of  punch  is  to  cause  people  to  see 
double  ;  but  on  this  occasion,  the  mistake  was  the 
other  way  ;  for  two  boats  had  touched  the  strand, 
instead  of  the  one  announced  by  the  commodore, 
and  they  brought  with  them  the  whole  party  from  the  Wig¬ 
wam,  Steadfast  and  Aristabulus  included.  A  domestic  or 
two  had  also  been  brought  to  prepare  the  customary  repast. 

Captain  Truck  was  as  good  as  his  word,  as  respects  the 
punch,  and  the  beverage  was  offered  to  each  of  the  ladies 
in  form,  as  soon  as  her  feet  had  touched  the  greensward 
which  covers  that  beautiful  spot.  Mrs.  Hawker  declined 
drinking,  in  a  way  to  delight  the  gallant  seaman  ;  for  so 
completely  had  she  got  the  better  of  all  his  habits  and  pre¬ 
judices,  that  everything  she  did,  seemed  right  and  gracious 
in  his  eyes. 

The  party  soon  separated  into  groups,  or  pairs,  some 
being  seated  on  the  margin  of  the  limpid  water,  enjoying 
the  light,  cool  airs  by  which  it  was  fanned ;  others  lay  off 
in  the  boats  fishing,  while  the  remainder  plunged  into  the 
woods,  that,  in  their  native  wildness,  bounded  the  little 
spot  of  verdure,  which,  canopied  by  old  oaks,  formed  the 
arena  so  lately  in  controversy.  In  this  manner  an  hour 
or  two  soon  slipped  away,  when  a  summons  was  given  for 
all  to  assemble  around  the  viands. 

The  repast  was  laid  on  the  grass,  notwithstanding  Aris¬ 
tabulus  more  than  hinted  that  the  public,  his  beloved 
public,  usually  saw  fit  to  introduce  rude  tables  for  that 


Ifoome  as  3foun£> 


293 


purpose.  The  Messrs.  Effingham,  however,  were  not  to  be 
taught  by  a  mere  bird  of  passage,  how  a  rustic  fete  so 
peculiarly  their  own  ought  to  be  conducted,  and  the 
attendants  were  directed  to  spread  the  dishes  on  the  turf. 
Around  this  spot,  rustic  seats  were  improvises ,  and  the 
business  of  restauration  proceeded.  Of  all  there  assem¬ 
bled,  the  Parisian  feelings  of  Mademoiselle  Viefville  were 
the  most  excited ;  for  to  her,  the  scene  was  one  of  pure 
delights,  with  the  noble  panorama  of  forest-clad  moun¬ 
tains,  the  mirror-like  lake,  the  overshadowing  oaks,  and 
the  tangled  brakes  of  the  adjoining  woods. 

“  Mais ,  vraiment  ceci  surpasse  les  Tuileries ,  mane  dans 
leur  propre  genre!"  she  exclaimed,  with  energy.  “  On 
passerait  volontiers  par  les  dangers  du  desert  pour  y  par- 
venir.  ’  ’ 

Those  who  understood  her,  smiled  at  this  characteristic 
remark,  and  most  felt  disposed  to  join  in  the  enthusiasm. 
Still,  the  manner  in  which  their  companions  expressed  the 
happiness  they  felt,  appeared  tame  and  unsatisfactory  to 
Mr.  Bragg  and  Mr.  Dodge,  these  two  persons  being  accus¬ 
tomed  to  see  the  young  of  the  two  sexes  indulge  in  broader 
exhibitions  of  merry* making  than  those  in  which  it  com¬ 
ported  with  the  tastes  and  habits  of  the  present  party  to 
indulge.  In  vain  Mrs.  Hawker,  in  her  quiet,  dignified 
way,  enjoyed  the  ready  wit  and  masculine  thoughts  of  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  appearing  to  renew  her  youth  ;  or  Eve,  with 
her  sweet  simplicity,  and  highly  cultivated  mind  and 
improved  tastes,  seemed,  like  a  highly  polished  mirror,  to 
throw  back  the  flashes  of  thought  and  memory,  that  so 
constantly  gleamed  before  both  ;  it  was  all  lost  on  these 
thoroughly  matter-of-fact  utilitarians.  Mr.  Effingham,  all 
courtesy  and  mild  refinement,  was  seldom  happier,  and 
John  Effingham  was  never  more  pleasant  ;  for  he  had  laid 
aside  the  severity  of  his  character,  to  appear  what  he 
ought  always  to  have  been,  a  man  in  whom  intelligence 
and  quickness  of  thought  could  be  made  to  seem  secondary 
to  the  gentler  qualities.  The  young  men  were  not  behind 
their  companions,  either,  each  in  his  particular  way  appear¬ 
ing  to  advantage,  gay,  regulated,  and  full  of  a  humor  that 


294 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


was  rendered  so  much  the  more  agreeable,  by  drawing  its 
images  from  a  knowledge  of  the  world  that  was  tempered 
by  observation  and  practice. 

Poor  Grace,  alone,  was  the  only  one  of  the  whole  party, 
always  excepting  Aristabulus  and  Steadfast,  who,  for  those 
fleeting  but  gay  hours,  was  not  thoroughly  happy.  For 
the  first  time  in  her  life  she  felt  her  own  deficiencies  ;  that 
ready  and  available  knowledge  so  exquisitely  feminine  in 
its  nature  and  exhibition,  which  escaped  Mrs.  Bloomfield 
and  Eve,  as  it  might  be  from  its  own  excess,  which  the 
former  possessed  almost  intuitively,  a  gift  of  Heaven,  and 
which  the  latter  enjoyed,  not  only  from  the  same  source, 
but  as  a  just  consequence  of  her  long  and  steady  self- 
denial,  application,  and  a  proper  appreciation  of  her  duty 
to  herself,  was  denied  one  who,  in  ill-judged  compliance 
with  the  customs  of  a  society  that  has  no  other  apparent 
aim  than  the  love  of  display,  had  precluded  herself  from 
enjoyments  that  none  but  the  intellectual  can  feel.  Still 
Grace  was  beautiful  and  attractive ;  and  though  she  won¬ 
dered  where  her  cousin,  in  general  so  simple  and  unpre¬ 
tending,  had  acquired  all  those  stores  of  thought,  that  in 
the  abandon  and  freedom  of  such  a  fete  escaped  her  in 
rich  profusion,  embellished  with  ready  allusions  and  a  bril¬ 
liant  though  chastened  wit,  her  generous  and  affectionate 
heart  could  permit  her  to  wonder  without  envying.  She 
perceived  for  the  first  time,  on  this  occasion,  that  if  Eve 
were  indeed  a  Hajji,  it  was  not  a  Hajji  of  a  common 
school  ;  and  while  her  modesty  and  self-abasement  led  her 
bitterly  to  regret  the  hours  irretrievably  wasted  in  the 
frivolous  levities  so  common  to  those  of  her  sex  with  whom 
she  had  been  most  accustomed  to  mingle,  her  sincere 
regret  did  not  lessen  her  admiration  for  one  she  began 
tenderly  to  love. 

As  for  Messrs.  Dodge  and  Bragg,  they  both  determined 
in  their  own  minds  that  this  was  much  the  most  stupid 
entertainment  they  had  ever  seen  on  that  spot,  for  it  was 
entirely  destitute  of  loud  laughing,  noisy  merriment,  coarse 
witticisms,  and  practical  jokes.  To  them  it  appeared  the 
height  of  arrogance  for  any  particular  set  of  persons  to 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


295 


presume  to  come  to  a  spot  rendered  sacred  by  the  public 
suffrage  in  its  favor,  in  order  to  indulge  in  these  outlandish 
dog-in-the-mangerisms. 

Towards  the  close  of  this  gay  repast,  and  when  the 
party  were  about  to  yield  their  places  to  the  attendants, 
who  were  ready  to  resliip  the  utensils,  John  Effingham 
observed, — 

“  I  trust,  Mrs.  Hawker,  you  have  been  duly  warned  of 
the  catastrophe-character  of  this  Point,  on  which  woman  is 
said  never  to  have  been  wooed  in  vain.  Here  are  Captain 
Truck  and  myself,  ready  at  any  moment  to  use  these  carving 
knives,  faute  des  Bowies ,  in  order  to  show  our  desperate  de¬ 
votion  ;  and  I  deem  it  no  more  than  prudent  in  you,  not  to 
smile  again  this  day,  lest  the  cross-eyed  readings  of  jealousy 
should  impute  a  wrong  motive.” 

“  Had  the  injunction  been  against  laughing,  sir,  I  might 
have  resisted,  but  smiles  are  far  too  feeble  to  express  one’s 
approbation  on  such  a  day  as  this  ;  you  may  therefore  trust 
to  my  discretion.  Is  it  then  true,  however,  that  Hymen 
haunts  these  shades? ” 

“  A  bachelor’s  history  of  the  progress  of  love  may  be  like 
the  education  of  his  children,  distrusted,  but  so  sayeth  tradi¬ 
tion  ;  and  I  never  put  my  foot  in  the  place  without  making 
fresh  vows  of  constancy  to  myself.  After  this  announcement 
of  the  danger,  dare  you  accept  an  arm,  for  I  perceive  signs 
that  life  cannot  be  entirely  wasted  in  these  pleasures,  great 
as  they  may  prove.” 

The  whole  party  arose,  and  separating  naturally,  they 
strolled  in  groups  or  pairs  again,  along  the  pebbly  strand 
or  beneath  the  trees,  while  the  attendants  made  the  prep¬ 
arations  to  depart.  Accident,  as  much  as  design,  left  Sir 
George  and  Grace  alone,  for  neither  perceived  the  circum¬ 
stance  until  they  both  had  passed  a  little  rise  in  the  forma¬ 
tion  of  the  ground,  and  were  beyond  the  view  of  their 
companions.  The  baronet  was  the  first  to  perceive  how 
much  he  had  been  favored  by  fortune,  and  his  feelings 
were  touched  by  the  air  of  gentle  melancholy  that  shaded 
the  usually  bright  and  brilliant  countenance  of  the  beautiful 
girl 


296 


ibome  as  ffounfc 


“I  should  have  thrice  enjoyed  this  pleasant  day,”  he 
said  with  an  interest  in  his  manner  that  caused  the  heart 
of  Grace  to  beat  quicker,  “had  I  not  seen  that  to  you  it 
has  been  less  productive  of  satisfaction  than  to  most  of 
those  around  you.  I  fear  you  may  not  be  as  well  as 
usual  ?  ’  ’ 

“  In  health,  never  better,  though  not  in  spirits,  per¬ 
haps.” 

‘  ‘  I  could  wish  I  had  a  right  to  inquire  why  you,  who 
have  so  few  causes  in  general  to  be  out  of  spirits,  should 
have  chosen  a  moment  so  little  in  accordance  with  the 
common  feeling.” 

‘  ‘  I  have  chosen  no  moment ;  the  moment  has  chosen  me, 
I  fear.  Not  until  this  day,  Sir  George  Templemore,  have 
I  ever  been  truly  sensible  of  my  great  inferiority  to  my 
cousin  Eve.” 

‘  ‘  An  inferiority  that  no  one  but  yourself  would  observe  or 
mention.” 

“  No  ;  I  am  neither  vain  enough  nor  ignorant  enough  to 
be  the  dupe  of  this  flattery,”  returned  Grace,  shaking  her 
hands  and  head,  while  she  forced  a  smile  ;  for  even  the 
delusions  those  we  love  pour  into  our  ears  are  not  without 
their  charms.  “  When  I  first  met  my  cousin,  after  her 
return,  my  own  imperfections  rendered  me  blind  to  her 
superiority  ;  but  she  herself  has  gradually  taught  me  to 
respect  her  mind,  her  womanly  character,  her  tact,  her 
delicacy,  principles,  breeding,  everything  that  can  make  a 
woman  estimable,  or  worthy  to  be  loved  !  Oh  !  how  have 
\  I  wasted  in  childish  amusements  and  frivolous  vanities  the 
precious  moments  of  that  girlhood  which  can  never  be 
recalled,  and  left  myself  scarcely  worthy  to  be  an  associate 
of  Eve  Effingham  !  ’  ’ 

The  first  feelings  of  Grace  had  so  far  gotten  the  control 
that  she  scarce  knew  what  she  said,  or  to  whom  she  was 
speaking  j  she  even  wrung  her  hands  in  the  momentary 
bitterness  of  her  regrets,  and  in  a  way  to  arouse  all  the 
sympathy  of  a  lover. 

‘  ‘  No  one  but  yourself  would  say  this,  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt,  and  least  of  all  your  admirable  cousin.” 


*  . 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


297 


“  She  is,  indeed,  my  admirable  cousin  !  But  what  are  we 
in  comparison  with  such  a  woman  !  Simple  and  unaffected 
as  a  child,  with  the  intelligence  of  a  scholar ;  with  all  the1 
graces  of  a  woman  she  has  the  learning  and  mind  of  a 
man.  Mistress  of  so  many  languages — ” 

“  But  you,  too,  speak  several,  my  dear  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt.” 

“Yes,”  said  Grace,  bitterly,  “I  speak  them,  as  the  par¬ 
rot  repeats  words  that  he  does  not  understand.  But  Eve 
Effingham  has  used  these  languages  as  means,  and  she 
does  not  tell  you  merely  what  such  a  phrase  or  idiom  sig¬ 
nifies,  but  what  the  greatest  writers  have  thought  and 
written.” 

“No  one  has  a  more  profound  respect  for  your  cousin 
than  myself,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  but  justice  to  you  re¬ 
quires  that  I  should  say  her  great  superiority  over  yourself 
has  escaped  me.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  This  may  be  true,  Sir  George  Templemore,  and  for  a 
long  time  it  escaped  me  too.  I  have  only  learned  to  prize 
her  as  she  ought  to  be  prized  by  an  intimate  acquaintance  ; 
hour  by  hour,  as  it  might  be.  But  even  you  must  have 
observed  how  quick  and  intuitively  my  cousin  and  Mrs. 
Bloomfield  have  understood  each  other  to-day  ;  how  much 
extensive  reading  and  what  polished  tastes  they  have  both 
shown,  and  all  so  truly  feminine  !  Mrs.  Bloomfield  is  a 
remarkable  woman,  but  she  loves  these  exhibitions,  for  she 
knows  she  excels  in  them.  Not  so  with  Eve  Effingham,  who, 
while  she  so  thoroughly  enjoys  everything  intellectual,  is 
content  always  to  seem  so  simple.  Now  it  happens  that  the 
conversation  turned  once  to-day  on  a  subject  that  my  cousin, 
no  later  than  yesterday,  fully  explained  to  me,  at  my  own 
earnest  request  ;  and  I  observed  that  while  she  joined  so 
naturally  with  Mrs.  Bloomfield  in  adding  to  our  pleasure, 
she  kept  back  half  what  she  knew,  lest  she  might  seem  to 
surpass  her  friend.  No — no — no — there  is  not  such  another 
woman  as  Eve  Effingham  in  this  world  !  ’  ’ 

“  So  keen  a  perception  of  excellence  in  others  denotes  an 
equal  excellence  in  yourself.” 

‘  ‘  I  know  my  own  great  inferiority  now,  and  no  kind- 


298 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


ness  of  yours,  Sir  George  Templemore,  can  ever  persuade 
me  into  a  better  opinion  of  myself.  Eve  has  travelled, 
seen  much  in  Europe  that  does  not  exist  here,  and  instead 
of  passing  her  youth  in  girlish  trifling,  has  treated  the 
minutes  as  if  they  were  all  precious,  as  she  well  knew 
them  to  be.” 

“  If  Europe,  then,  does  indeed  possess  these  advantages, 
why  not  yourself  visit  it,  dearest  Miss  Van  Cortlandt?  ” 

“I — I  a  Hajji  !  ”  cried  Grace,  with  childish  pleasure, 
though  her  color  heightened,  and  for  a  moment  Eve  and  her 
superiority  were  forgotten. 

Certainly  Sir  George  Templemore  did  not  come  out  on 
the  lake  that  day  with  an  expectation  of  offering  his  bar¬ 
onetcy,  his  fair  estate,  wTith  his  hand,  to  this  artless,  half- 
educated,  provincial,  but  beautiful  girl.  For  a  long  time 
he  had  been  debating  with  himself  the  propriety  of  such  a 
step,  and  it  is  probable  that  at  some  later  period  he  would 
have  sought  an  occasion,  had  not  one  now  so  opportunely 
offered,  notwithstanding  all  his  doubts  and  reasonings 
with  himself.  If  the  “woman  who  hesitates  is  lost,”  it  is 
equally  true  that  the  man  who  pretends  to  set  up  his  rea¬ 
son  alone  against  beauty,  is  certain  to  find  that  sense  is 
less  powerful  than  the  senses.  Had  Grace  Van  Cort¬ 
landt  been  more  sophisticated,  less  natural,  her  beauty 
might  have  failed  to  make  this  conquest ;  but  the  baronet 
found  a  charm  in  her  naivete  that  was  singularly  winning  to 
the  feelings  of  a  man  of  the  world.  Eve  had  first  attracted 
him  by  the  same  quality  ;  the  early  education  of  American 
females  being  less  constrained  and  artificial  than  that  of  the 
English  ;  but  in  Eve  he  found  a  mental  training,  and  acquis¬ 
itions  that  left  the  quality  less  conspicuous,  perhaps,  than 
in  her  scarcely  less  beautiful  cousin  ;  though,  had  Eve  met 
his  admiration  with  anything  like  sympathy,  her  power 
over  him  would  not  have  been  easily  weakened.  As  it  was, 
Grace  had  been  gradually  winding  herself  around  his  affec¬ 
tions,  and  he  now  poured  out  his  love  in  a  language  that  her 
unpractised  and  already  favorably  disposed  feelings  had  no 
means  of  withstanding.  A  very  few  minutes  were  allowed 
to  them  before  the  summons  to  the  boat ;  but  when  this  sum- 


ibome  as  jfounfc 


299 


mons  came,  Grace  rejoined  the  party,  elevated  in  her  o\yn 
good  opinion,  as  happy  as  a  cloudless  future  could  make  her, 
and  without  another  thought  of  the  immeasurable  super¬ 
iority  of  her  cousin. 

By  a  singular  coincidence,  while  the  baronet  and  Grace 
were  thus  engaged  on  one  part  of  the  shore,  Eve  was  the 
subject  of  a  similar  proffer  of  connecting  herself  for  life  on 
another.  She  had  left  the  circle,  attended  by  Paul,  her 
father,  and  Aristabulus ;  but  no  sooner  had  they  reached 
the  margin  of  the  water  than  the  two  former  were  called 
away  by  Captain  Truck,  to  settle  some  controverted  point 
between  the  latter  and  the  commodore.  By  this  unlooked- 
for  desertion,  Eve  found  herself  alone  with  Mr.  Bragg. 

“That  was  a  funny  and  comprehensive  remark  Mr.  John 
made  about  the  ‘Point,’  Miss  Eve,”  Aristabulus  com¬ 
menced,  as  soon  as  he  found  himself  in  possession  of  the 
ground.  ‘  ‘  I  should  like  to  know  if  it  be  really  true  that 
no  woman  was  ever  unsuccessfully  wooed  beneath  these 
oaks?  If  such  be  the  case,  we  gentlemen  ought  to  be 
cautious  how  we  come  here.” 

Here  Aristabulus  simpered,  and  looked,  if  possible,  more 
amiable  than  ever  ;  though  the  quiet  composure  and  wom¬ 
anly  dignity  of  Eve,  who  respected  herself  too  much,  and 
too  well  knew  what  was  due  to  her  sex,  ever  to  enter  into, 
or  so  far  as  it  depended  on  her  will,  to  permit  any  of  that 
commonplace  and  vulgar  trifling  about  love  and  matri¬ 
mony,  which  formed  a  never-failing  theme  between  the 
youthful  of  the  two  sexes  in  Mr.  Bragg’s  particular  circle, 
sensibly  curbed  his  ambitious  hopes.  Still  he  thought  he 
had  made  too  good  an  opening  not  to  pursue  the  subject. 

“Mr.  John  Effingham  sometimes  indulges  in  pleasant¬ 
ries,”  Eve  answered,  “that  would  lead  one  astray  who 
might  attempt  to  follow.” 

“Love  is  a  jack-o’-lantern,”  rejoined  Aristabulus,  senti¬ 
mentally.  “That  I  admit;  and  it  is  no  wonder  so  many 
get  swamped  in  following  his  lights.  Have  you  ever  felt 
the  tender  passion,  Miss  Eve  ?  ” 

Now  Aristabulus,  had  heard  this  question  put  at  the 
soiree  of  Mrs.  Houston  more  than  once,  and  he  believed 


3oo 


Ibotne  as  f  ounb 


himself  to  be  in  the  most  polite  road  for  a  regular  declara¬ 
tion.  An  ordinary  woman,  who  felt  herself  offended  by 
this  question,  would  most  probably  have  stepped  back,  and 
raising  her  form  to  its  utmost  elevation,  answered  by  an 
emphatic  “Sir!”  Not  so  with  Eve.  She  felt  the  dis¬ 
tance  between  Mr.  Bragg  and  herself  to  be  so  great,  that 
by  no  probable  means  could  he  even  offend  her  by  any 
assumption  of  equality.  This  distance  was  the  result  of 
opinions,  habits,  and  education,  rather  than  of  condition, 
however ;  for  though  Eve  Effingham  could  become  the 
wife  of  a  gentleman  only,  she  was  entirely  superior  to  those 
prejudices  of  the  world  that  depend  on  purely  factitious 
causes.  Instead  of  discovering  surprise,  indignation,  or 
dramatic  dignity,  therefore,  at  this  extraordinary  question, 
she  barely  permitted  a  smile  to  curl  her  handsome  mouth, 
and  this  so  slightly  as  to  escape  her  companion’s  eye. 

‘  ‘  I  believe  we  are  to  be  favored  with  as  smooth  water 
in  returning  to  the  village  as  we  had  in  the  morning,  while 
coming  to  this  place,”  she  simply  said.  “You  row,  some¬ 
times,  I  think,  Mr.  Bragg?” 

“Ah!  Miss  Eve,  such  another  opportunity  may  never 
occur  again,  for  you  foreign  ladies  are  so  difficult  of  access  ! 
Let  me  then  seize  this  happy  moment  here,  beneath  the 
hymeneal  oaks,  to  offer  you  this  faithful  hand  and  this  will¬ 
ing  heart.  Of  fortune  }tou  will  have  enough  for  both,  and 
I  say  nothing  about  the  miserable  dross.  Reflect,  Miss  Eve, 
how  happy  we  might  be,  protecting  and  soothing  the  old 
age  of  your  father,  and  in  going  down  the  hill  of  life  in 
company;  or,  as  the  song  says,  ‘And  hand  in  hand  we ’ll 
go,  and  sleep  thegither  at  the  foot,  John  Anderson,  my 
Jo.’  ” 

“  You  draw  very  agreeable  pictures,  Mr.  Bragg,  and  with 
the  touches  of  a  master  !  ” 

“However  agreeable  3^011  find  them,  Miss  Eve,  the}7-  fall 
infinitely  short  of  the  truth.  The  tie  of  wedlock,  besides 
being  the  most  sacred,  is  also  the  dearest  ;  and  happ>r, 
indeed,  are  the>T  who  enter  into  the  solemn  engagement 
with  such  cheerful  prospects  as  ourselves.  Our  ages  are 
perfectly  suitable,  our  dispositions  entirety  consonant,  our 


Ibome  as  ifounfc 


3Q1 


habits  so  similar  as  to  obviate  all  unpleasant  changes,  and 
our  fortunes  precisely  what  they  ought  to  be  to  render  a 
marriage  happy,  with  confidence  on  one  side,  and  gratitude 
on  the  other.  As  to  the  day,  Miss  Eve,  I  could  wish  to 
leave  you  altogether  the  mistress  of  that,  and  shall  not  be 
urgent.” 

Eve  had  often  heard  John  Effingham  comment  on  the 
cool  impudence  of  a  particular  portion  of  the  American 
population;  with  great  amusement  to  herself ;  but  never 
did  she  expect  to  be  the  subject  of  an  attack  like  this  in 
her  own  person.  By  way  of  rendering  the  scene  perfect, 
Aristabulus  had  taken  out  his  penknife,  cut  a  twig  from  a 
bush,  and  he  now  rendered  himself  doubly  interesting  by 
commencing  the  favorite  occupation  of  whittling.  A  cooler 
picture  of  passion  could  not  well  have  been  drawn. 

“You  are  bashfully  silent,  Miss  Eve  !  I  make  all  due 
allowance  for  natural  timidity,  and  shall  say  no  more  at 
present — though,  as  silence  universally  ‘  gives  consent  ’ —  ” 

“  If  you  please,  sir,”  interrupted  Eve,  with  a  slight 
motion  of  her  parasol,  that  implied  a  check.  “I  presume 
our  habits  and  opinions,  notwithstanding  you  seem  to  think 
them  so  consonant  with  each  other,  are  sufficiently  different 
to  cause  you  not  to  see  the  impropriety  of  one,  who  is 
situated  like  yourself,  abusing  the  confidence  of  a  parent, 
by  making  such  a  proposal  to  a  daughter  without  her 
father’s  knowledge  ;  and,  on  that  point,  I  shall  say  nothing. 
But  as  you  have  done  me  the  honor  of  making  me  a  very 
unequivocal  offer  of  your  hand,  I  wish  that  the  answer  may 
be  as  distinct  as  the  proposal.  I  decline  the  advantage  and 
happiness  of  becoming  your  wife,  sir — ” 

“  Time  flies,  Miss  Eve  !  ” 

“Time  does  fly,  Mr.  Bragg,  and,  if  you  remain  much 
longer  in  the  employment  of  Mr.  Effingham,  you  may  lose 
an  opportunity  of  advancing  your  fortunes  at  the  West, 
whither  I  understand  it  has  long  been  your  intention  to 
emigrate — ’  ’ 

“  I  will  readily  relinquish  all  my  hopes  at  the  West,  for 
your  sake.” 

“  No  ,  sir,  I  cannot  be  a  party  to  such  a  sacrifice.  I  will 


302 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


not  say  forget  me,  but  forget  your  hopes  here,  and  renew 
those  you  have  so  unreflectingly  abandoned  beyond  the 
Mississippi.  I  shall  not  represent  this  conversation  to  Mr. 
Effingham  in  a  manner  to  create  any  unnecessary  preju¬ 
dices  against  you  ;  and  while  I  thank  you — as  every  woman 
should— for  an  offer  that  must  infer  some  portion,  at  least, 
of  your  good  opinion,  you  will  permit  me  again  to  wish  you 
all  lawful  success  in  your  Western  enterprises.” 

Eve  gave  Mr.  Bragg  no  further  opportunity  to  renew 
his  suit,  for  she  courtesied  and  left  him,  as  she  ceased 
speaking.  Mr.  Dodge,  who  had  been  a  distant  observer  of 
the  interview,  now  hastened  to  join  his  friend,  curious  to 
know  the  result ;  for  it  had  been  privately  arranged  be¬ 
tween  these  modest  youths,  that  each  .should  try  his  fortune 
in  turn  with  the  heiress,  did  she  not  accept  the  first  proposal. 
To  the  chagrin  of  Steadfast,  and  probably  to  the  reader’s 
surprise,  Aristabulus  informed  his  friend  that  Eve’s  man¬ 
ner  and  language  had  been  full  of  encouragement. 

“She  thanked  me  for  the  offer,  Mr.  Dodge,”  he  said, 
“  and  her  wishes  for  my  future  prosperity  at  the  West 
were  warm  and  repeated.  Eve  Effingham  is,  indeed,  a 
charming  creature  !  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  At  the  West !  Perhaps  she  meant  differently  from  what 
you  imagine.  I  know  her  well.  The  girl  is  full  of  art. 

“Art,  sir  !  she  spoke  as  plainly  as  woman  could  speak, 
and  I  repeat  that  I  feel  considerably  encouraged.  It  is  some¬ 
thing  to  have  so  plain  a  conversation  with  Eve  Effingham.” 

Mr.  Dodge  swallowed  his  discontent,  and  the  whole  party 
soon  embarked,  to  return  to  the  village,  the  commodore  and 
general  taking  a  boat  by  themselves,  in  order  to  bring  their 
discussions  on  human  affairs  in  general,  to  a  suitable  close. 

That  night  Sir  George  Templemore  asked  an  interview 
with  Mr.  Effingham,  when  the  latter  was  alone  in  his 
library. 

“  I  sincerely  hope  this  request  is  not  the  forerunner  of  a 
departure,”  said  the  host,  kindly,  as  the  youngman  entered. 
“  in  which  case  I  shall  regard  you  as  one  unmindful  of  the 
hopes  he  has  raised.  You  stand  pledged  by  implication,  if 
not  in  words,  to  pass  another  month  with  us.” 


twine  as  jfounb 


3°3 


‘‘So  far  from  entertaining  an  intention  so  faithless,  my 
dear  sir,  I  am  fearful  that  you  may  think  I  trespass  too  far 
on  your  hospitality.  ’  ’ 

He  then  communicated  his  wish  to  be  allowed  to  make 
Grace  Van  Cortlandt  his  wife.  Mr.  Effingham  heard  him 
with  a  smile,  that  showed  he  was  not  altogether  unprepared 
for  such  a  demand,  and  his  eye  glistened  as  he  squeezed  the 
other’s  hand. 

“Take  her  with  all  my  heart,  Sir  George,”  he  said, 

‘  ‘  but  remember,  you  are  transferring  a  tender  plant  into  a 
strange  soil.  There  are  not  many  of  your  countrymen  to 
whom  I  would  confide  such  a  trust ;  for  I  know  the  risk 
they  run  who  make  ill-assorted  unions — ” 

“  Ill-assorted  unions,  Mr.  Effingham  !  ” 

“  Yours  will  not  be  one,  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of 
the  term,  I  know ;  for  in  years,  birth,  and  fortune,  you  and 
my  dear  niece  are  as  much  on  an  equality  as  can  be  desired  : 
but  it  is  too  often  an  ill-assorted  union  for  an  American 
woman  to  become  an  English  wife.  So  much  depends  on 
the  man,  that  with  one  in  whom  I  have  less  confidence  than 
I  have  in  you,  I  might  justly  hesitate.  I  shall  take  a  guard¬ 
ian’s  privilege,  though  Grace  be  her  own  mistress,  and  give 
you  one  solemn  piece  of  advice.  Always  respect  the  country 
of  the  woman  you  have  thought  worthy  to  bear  your  name.” 

‘  ‘  I  hope  always  to  respect  everything  that  is  hers  ;  but 
why  this  particular  caution  ?  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  is  almost 
English  in  her  heart.” 

“  An  affectionate  wife  will  take  her  bias  in  such  matters 
generally  from  her  husband.  Your  country  will  be  her 
country — your  God  her  God.  Still,  Sir  George  Temple- 
more,  a  woman  of  spirit  and  sentiment  can  never  wholly 
forget  the  land  of  her  birth.  You  love  us  not  in  England, 
and  one  who  settles  there  will  often  have  occasions  to  hear 
gibes  and  sneers  on  the  land  from  which  she  came — ” 

“Good  God,  Mr.  Effingham,  you  do  not  think  I  shall 
take  my  wife  into  society  where —  ” 

“Bear  with  a  proser’s  doubts,  Templemore.  You  will 
do  all  that  is  well-intentioned  and  proper,  I  dare  say,  in 
the  usual  acceptation  of  the  words  ;  but  I  wish  you  to  do 


3°4 


Ibome  as  fomb 


more :  that  which  is  wise.  Grace  has  now  a  sincere 
reverence  and  respect  for  England,  feelings  that  in  many 
particulars  are  sustained  by  the  facts,  and  will  be  permanent ; 
but,  in  some  things,  observation,  as  it  usually  happens 
with  the  young  and  sanguine,  will  expose  the  mistakes  into 
which  she  has  been  led  by  enthusiasm  and  the  imagination. 
As  she  knows  other  countries  better,  she  will  come  to  regard 
her  own  with  more  favorable  and  discriminating  eyes,  losing 
her  sensitiveness  on  account  of  peculiarities  she  now  esteems, 
and  taking  new  views  of  things.  Perhaps  you  will  think  me 
selfish,  but  I  shall  add,  also,  that  if  you  wish  to  cure  your 
wife  of  any  homesickness,  the  surest  mode  will  be  to  bring 
her  back  to  her  native  land.” 

“  Nay,  my  dear  sir,”  said  Sir  George,  laughing,  “this 
is  very  much  like  acknowledging  its  blemishes.” 

“  I  am  aware  it  has  that  appearance,  and  yet  the  fact  is 
otherwise.  The  cure  is  as  certain  with  the  Englishman  as 
with  the  American  ;  and  with  the  German  as  with  either. 
It  depends  on  a  general  law,  which  causes  us  all  to  over¬ 
estimate  bygone  pleasures  and  distant  scenes,  and  to  under¬ 
value  those  of  the  present  moment.  You  know7  I  have 
alwa37s  maintained  there  is  no  real  philosopher  short  of  fifty, 
nor  any  taste  worth  possessing  that  is  a  dozen  years  old.” 

Here  Mr.  Effingham  rang  the  bell,  and  desired  Pierre  to 
request  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  to  join  him  in  the  library. 
Grace  entered,  blushing  and  shy,  but  with  a  countenance 
beaming  with  inward  peace.  Her  uncle  regarded  her  a 
moment  intently,  and  a  tear  glistened  in  his  eye  again,  as  he 
tenderly  kissed  her  burning  cheek. 

“  God  bless  you,  love,”  he  said  ;  “  ’t  is  a  fearful  change 
for  your  sex,  and  yet  you  all  enter  into  it  radiant  with  hope, 
and  noble  in  your  confidence.  Take  her,  Templemore,” 
giving  her  hand  to  the  baronet,  ‘  ‘  and  deal  kindly  by  her. 
You  will  not  desert  us  entirely.  I  trust  I  shall  see  you  both 
once  more  in  the  Wigwam  before  I  die.” 

“Uncle — uncle  ” — burst  from  Grace,  as,  drowned  in  tears, 
she  threw  herself  into  Mr.  Effingham’s  arms  ;  “I  am  an  un¬ 
grateful  girl  thus  to  abandon  all  my  natural  friends.  I  have 
acted  wrong — ’  ’ 


Ibome  as  tfomb 


3°5 


“  Wrong,  dearest  Miss  Van  Cortlandt !  ” 

“Selfishly,  then,  Sir  George  Templemore,”  the  simple- 
hearted  girl  ingenuously  added,  scarcely  knowing  how  much 
her  words  implied;  “perhaps  this  matter  might  be  recon¬ 
sidered.” 

“I  am  afraid  little  would  be  gained  by  that,  my  love,” 
returned  the  smiling  uncle,  wiping  his  eyes  at  the  same 
instant.  “The  second  thoughts  of  ladies  usually  confirm 
the  first,  in  such  matters.  God  bless  you,  Grace  ;  Temple- 
more,  may  Heaven  have  you,  too,  in  its  holy  keeping. 
Remember  what  I  have  said,  and  to-morrow  we  will  con¬ 
verse  further  on  the  subject.  Does  Eve  know  of  this,  my 
niece  ?  ’  ’ 

The  color  went  and  came  rapidly  in  Grace’s  cheek,  and 
she  looked  to  the  floor,  abashed. 

“We  ought  then  to  send  for  her,”  resumed  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham,  again  reaching  towards  the  bell. 

“Uncle!” — and  Grace  hurriedly  interposed,  in  time  to 
save  tne  string  from  being  pulled.  “  Could  I  keep  such  an 
important  secret  from  my  dearest  cousin  !  ” 

‘  ‘  I  find  that  I  am  the  last  in  the  secret,  as  is  generally 
the  case  with  old  fellows,  and  I  believe  I  am  even  now 
de  trop.  ’  ’ 

Mr.  Effingham  kissed  Grace  again  affectionately,  and 
although  she  strenuously  endeavored  to  detain  him,  he  left 
the  room. 

We  must  follow,”  said  Grace,  hastily  wiping  her  eyes, 
and  rubbing  the  traces  of  tears  from  her  cheeks;  “excuse 
me,  Sir  George  Templemore  ;  will  you  open — ” 

He  did,  though  it  was  not  the  door,  but  his  arms.  Grace 
seemed  like  one  that  was  rendered  giddy  by  standing  on  a 
precipice,  but  when  she  fell  the  young  baronet  was  at  hand 
to  receive  her.  Instead  of  quitting  the  library  that  in¬ 
stant,  the  bell  had  announced  the  appearance  of  the  sup¬ 
per-tray  before  she  remembered  that  she  had  so  earnestly 
intended  to  do  so. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

“This  day,  no  man  thinks 
He  has  business  at  his  house.” 

King  Henry  VIII. 

THE  warm  weather,  which  was  always  a  little  behind 
that  of  the  lower  countries,  had  now  set  in  among 
the  mountains,  and  the  season  had  advanced  into 
the  first  week  in  July.  “  Independence  Day,”  as 
the  fourth  of  that  month  is  termed  by  the  Americans,  ar¬ 
rived  ;  and  the  wits  of  Templeton  were  taxed  as  usual,  in 
order  that  the  festival  might  be  celebrated  with  the  custom¬ 
ary  intellectual  and  moral  treat.  The  morning  commenced 
with  a  parade  of  the  two  or  three  uniformed  companies  of 
the  vicinity,  much  gingerbread  and  spruce-beer  were  con¬ 
sumed  in  the  streets,  no  light  potations  of  whiskey  were 
swallowed  in  the  groceries,  and  a  great  variety  of  drinks, 
some  of  which  bore  very  ambitious  names,  shared  the  same 
fate  in  the  taverns. 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  had  been  told  that  this  was  the 
great  American  fete ;  the  festival  of  the  nation  ;  and  she 
appeared  that  morning  in  gay  ribbons,  and  with  her  bright, 
animated  face  covered  with  smiles  for  the  occasion.  To  her 
surprise,  however,  no  one  seemed  to  respond  to  her  feelings  ; 
and  as  the  party  rose  from  the  breakfast-table,  she  took  an 
opportunity  to  ask  an  explanation  of  Eve,  in  a  little  aside. 

‘  ‘  Est-ce  que  je  me  suis  trompee ,  ma  cltire  ?"  demanded  the 
lively  Frenchwoman.  “  Is  not  this  la  celebration  de  votre 
independance  f  ’  ’ 

‘‘You  are  not  mistaken,  my  dear  Mademoiselle  Viefville, 
and  great  preparations  are  made  to  do  it  honor.  I  under- 

306 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


307 


stand  there  is  to  be  a  military  parade,  an  oration,  a  dinner, 
and  fire-works.” 

Monsieur  votre  pere — ’  * 

“  Monsieur  mon pere  is  not  much  given  to  rejoicings,  and 
he  takes  this  annual  joy,  much  as  a  valetudinarian  takes  his 
morning  draught.” 

‘  ‘  Et  Monsieur  Jean  Effingham — ’  ’ 

“  Is  always  a  philosopher;  you  are  to  expect  no  antics 
from  him.” 

“  Mais  ces  jeunes  gens ,  Monsieur  Bragg ,  Monsieur  Dodge , 
et  Monsieur  Powis  meme.  ’  ’ 

Se  rejouissent  en  Americains.  I  presume  you  are  aware 
that  Mr.  Powis  has  declared  himself  to  be  an  American  ?  ” 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  looked  towards  the  streets,  along 
which  divers  tall,  sombre-looking  countrymen,  with  faces 
more  lugubrious  than  those  of  the  mutes  of  a  funeral,  were 
sauntering  with  a  desperate  air  of  enjoyment  ;  and  she 
shrugged  her  shoulders,  as  she  muttered  to  herself,  “  Que  ces 
Americains  son  t  dr  dies  !  ” 

At  a  later  hour,  however,  Eve  surprised  her  father,  and 
indeed  most  of  the  Americans  of  the  part}7-,  by  proposing  that 
the  ladies  should  walk  out  into  the  street,  and  witness  the  fete. 

My  child,  this  is  a  strange  proposition  to  come  from  a 
young  lady  of  twenty,”  said  her  father. 

Why  strange,  dear  sir?  We  always  mingled  in  the 
village  fetes  in  Europe.” 

“  CertainementJ  cried  the  delighted  Mademoiselle  Vief¬ 
ville  ;  “  d  est  de  rigueur ,  memeP 

“And  it  is  de  rigueur,  here,  Mademoiselle,  for  young 
ladies  to  keep  out  of  them,”  put  in  John  Effingham.  ”  I 

should  be  very  sorry  to  see  either  of  you  three  ladies  in  the 
streets  of  Templeton  to-day.” 

Why  so,  cousin  Jack  ?  Have  we  anything  to  fear  from 
the  rudeness  of  our  countrymen  ?  I  have  always  understood, 
on  the  contrary,  that  in  no  other  part  of  the  world  is  woman 
so  uniformly  treated  with  respect  and  kindness,  as  in  this 
very  republic  of  ours  ;  and  yet,  by  all  these  ominous  faces,  I 
perceive  that  it  will  not  do  for  her  to  trust  herself  in  the 
streets  of  a  village  on  a  festaP 


308 


Ibome  as  f  ounb 


“  You  are  not  altogether  wrong  in  what  you  now  say, 
Miss  Effingham,  nor  are  you  wholly  right.  Woman,  as  a 
whole,  is  well  treated  in  America  ;  and  yet  it  will  not  do 
for  a  lady  to  mingle  in  scenes  like  these,  as  ladies  may  and 
do  mingle  with  them  in  Europe.” 

“I  have  heard  this  difference  accounted  for,”  said  Paul 
Powis,  “  by  the  fact  that  women  have  no  legal  rank  in  this 
country.  In  those  nations  where  the  station  of  a  lady  is 
protected  by  legal  ordinances,  it  is  said  she  may  descend 
with  impunity  ;  but  in  this,  where  all  are  equal  before  the 
law,  so  many  misunderstand  the  real  merits  of  their  posi¬ 
tion,  that  she  is  obliged  to  keep  aloof  from  any  collisions 
with  those  who  might  be  disposed  to  mistake  their  own 
claims.  ’  ’ 

“  But  I  wish  for  no  collisions,  no  associations,  Mr.  Powis, 
but  simply  to  pass  through  the  streets,  with  my  cousin  and 
Mademoiselle  Viefville,  to  enjoy  the  sight  of  the  rustic  sports, 
as  one  would  do  in  France,  or  Italy,  or  even  in  republican 
Switzerland,  if  you  insist  on  a  republican  example.” 

“  Rustic  sports  !  ”  repeated  Aristabulus,  with  a  frightened 
look  ;  “the  people  will  not  bear  to  hear  their  sports  called 
rustic,  Miss  Effingham.” 

“  Surely,  sir,” — Eve  never  spoke  to  Mr.  Bragg,  now,  with¬ 
out  using  a  repelling  politeness,—”  surely,  sir,  the  people  of 
these  mountains  will  hardly  pretend  that  their  sports  are 
those  of  a  capital.” 

“I  merely  mean,  ma’am,  that  the  term  would  be  mon¬ 
strously  unpopular  ;  nor  do  I  see  why  the  sports  in  a  city  ’ 
— Aristabulus  was  much  too  peculiar  in  his  notions  to  call 
any  place  that  had  a  mayor  and  aldermen  a  town — “  should 
not  be  just  as  rustic  as  those  of  a  village.  The  contrary 
supposition  violates  the  principle  of  equality. 

“And  do  you  decide  against  us,  dear  sir?”  Eve  added, 
looking  at  Mr.  Effingham. 

“Without  stopping  to  examine  causes,  my  child,  I  shall 
say  that  I  think  you  had  better  all  remain  at  home.” 

“  Viola,  Mademoiselle  Viefville ,  une  fete  Americaine  !  ” 

A  shrug  of  the  shoulders  was  the  significant  reply. 

“  Nay,  my  daughter,  you  are  not  entirely  excluded  from 


tbome  as  tfonnb 


3°9 


the  festivities ;  all  gallantry  has  not  quite  deserted  the 
land.” 

' '  A  young  lady  shall  walk  alone  with  a  young  gentle¬ 
man — shall  ride  alone  with  him — shall  drive  out  alone 
with  him — shall  not  move  without  him,  dans  le  monde ,  maisy 
she  shall  not  walk  in  the  crowd,  to  look  at  u?ie  fete  avec  son 
pere  !  ”  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  in  her  imperfect 
English.  “ Je desespere,  vraime?it,  to  understand  some  habi¬ 
tudes  Aniericaines  !  ” 

“Well,  Mademoiselle,  that  you  may  not  think  us  alto¬ 
gether  barbarians,  you  shall,  at  least,  have  the  benefit  of  the 
oration.” 

“You  may  well  call  it  the  oration,  Ned;  for  I  believe 
one,  or  certainly  one  skeleton,  has  served  some  thousand 
orators  annually,  any  time  these  sixty  years.” 

“  Of  this  skeleton,  then,  the  ladies  shall  have  the  benefit. 
The  procession  is  about  to  form,  I  hear  ;  and  by  getting  ready 
immediately,  we  shall  be  just  in  time  to  obtain  good  seats.” 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  was  delighted  ;  for,  after  trying 
the  theatres,  the  churches,  sundry  balls,  the  opera,  and  all 
the  admirable  gayeties  of  New  York,  she  had  reluctantly 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  America  was  a  very  good 
country  pour  s' eymuyer,  and  for  very  little  else  ;  but  here 
was  the  promise  of  a  novelty.  The  ladies  completed  their 
preparations,  and,  accordingly,  attended  by  all  the  gentle¬ 
men,  made  their  appearance  in  the  assembly  at  the  ap¬ 
pointed  hour. 

The  orator,  who,  as  usual,  was  a  lawyer,  was  already  in 
possession  of  the  pulpit,  for  one  of  the  village  churches  had 
been  selected  as  the  scene  of  the  ceremonies.  He  was  a 
young  man,  who  had  recently  been  called  to  the  bar,  it  be¬ 
ing  as  much  in  rule  for  the  legal  tyro  to  take  off  the 
wire-edge  of  his  wit  in  a  fourth  of  July  oration,  as  it  was 
formerly  for  a  mousquetaire  to  prove  his  spirit  in  a  duel.  The 
academy,  which  formerly  was  a  servant  of  all  work  to  the 
public,  being  equally  used  for  education,  balls,  preaching, 
town-meetings,  and  caucuses,  had  shared  the  fate  of  most 
American  edifices  in  wood,  having  lived  its  hour  and  been 
burned  ;  and  the  collection  of  people,  whom  we  have  for- 


3io 


Iborne  as  jfoun6 


merly  had  occasion  to  describe,  appeared  to  have  also  van¬ 
ished  from  the  earth,  for  nothing  could  be  less  alike  in 
exterior,  at  least,  than  those  who  had  assembled  under  the 
ministry  of  Mr.  Grant,  and  their  successors  who  were  now 
collected  to  listen  to  the  wisdom  of  Mr.  Writ.  Such  a 
thing  as  a  coat  of  two  generations  was  no  longer  to  be 
seen  ;  the  latest  fashion,  or  what  was  thought  to  be  the 
latest  fashion,  being  as  rigidly  respected  by  the  young 
farmer  or  the  young  mechanic,  as  by  the  more  admitted 
bucks,  the  law  student  and  the  village  shop-boy.  All  the 
red  cloaks  had  long  since  been  laid  aside  to  give  place  to 
imitation  merino  shawls,  or,  in  cases  of  unusual  moderation 
and  sobriety,  to  mantles  of  silk.  As  Eve  glanced  her  eye 
around  her,  she  perceived  Tuscan  hats,  bonnets  of  gay  colors 
and  flowers,  and  dresses  of  French  chintzes,  where  fifty 
years  ago  would  have  been  seen  even  men’s  woollen  hats 
and  homely  English  calicoes.  It  is  true  that  the  change 
among  the  men  was  not  quite  as  striking,  for  their  attire 
admits  of  less  variety  ;  but  the  black  stock  had  superseded 
the  check  handkerchief  and  the  bandanna  ;  gloves  had  taken 
the  places  of  mittens  ;  and  the  coarse  and  clownish  shoe  of 
‘  ‘  cow-hide  ’  ’  was  supplanted  by  the  calf-skin  boot. 

‘  ‘  Where  are  your  peasants,  your  rustics,  your  milk-  and 
dairy-maids — the  people,  in  short?”  whispered  Sir  George 
Templemore  to  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  as  they  took  their  seats ; 
“or  is  this  occasion  thought  to  be  too  intellectual  for  them, 
and  the  present  assembly  composed  only  of  the  elite?  ” 

“  These  are  the  people,  and  a  pretty  fair  sample,  too,  of 
their  appearance  and  deportment.  Most  of  these  men  are 
what  you  in  England  would  call  operatives,  and  the  women 
are  their  wives,  daughters,  and  sisters.” 

The  baronet  said  nothing  at  the  moment,  but  he  sat  look¬ 
ing  around  him  with  a  curious  eye  for  some  time,  when  he 
again  addressed  his  companion  : — 

“  I  see  the  truth  of  what  you  say,  as  regards  the  men,  for 
a  critical  eye  can  discover  the  proofs  of  their  occupations  ; 
but  surely  you  must  be  mistaken  as  respects  your  own  sex  ; 
there  is  too  much  delicacy  of  form  and  feature  for  the  class 
you  mean.” 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


311 

“  Nevertheless,  I  have  said  naught  but  truth.” 

“But  look  at  the  hands  and  feet,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield. 
Those  are  French  gloves,  too,  or  I  am  mistaken.” 

“  I  will  not  positively  affirm  that  the  French  gloves  actu¬ 
ally  belong  to  the  dairy-maids,  though  I  have  known  even 
this  prodigy  ;  but,  rely  on  it,  you  see  here  the  proper  female 
counterparts  of  the  men,  and  singularly  delicate  and  pretty 
females  are  they,  for  persons  of  their  class.  This  is  what 
you  call  democratic  coarseness  and  vulgarity,  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham  tells  me,  in  England.” 

Sir  George  smiled,  but,  as  what  it  is  the  fashion  of  the 
country  to  call  “  the  exercises  ”  just  then  began,  he  made 
no  other  answer. 

The  exercises  commenced  with  instrumental  music,  cer¬ 
tainly  the  weakest  side  of  American  civilization.  That  of 
the  occasion  of  which  we  write,  had  three  essential  faults, 
all  of  which  are  sufficiently  general  to  be  termed  character¬ 
istic,  in  a  national  point  of  view.  In  the  first  place,  the 
instruments  themselves  were  bad ;  in  the  next  place  they 
were  assorted  without  any  regard  to  harmony  ;  and  in  the 
last  place,  their  owners  did  not  know  how  to  use  them.  As 
in  certain  American  cities — the  word  is  well  applied  here 
— she  is  esteemed  the  greatest  belle  who  can  contrive  to 
utter  her  nursery  sentiments  in  the  loudest  voice,  so  in  Tem¬ 
pleton  was  he  considered  the  ablest  musician  who  could 
give  the  greatest  6clat  to  a  false  note.  In  a  word,  clamor 
was  the  one  thing  needful,  and  as  regards  time,  that  great 
regulator  of  all  harmonies,  Paul  Powis  whispered  to  the 
captain  that  the  air  they  had  just  been  listening  to  resem¬ 
bled  what  the  sailors  call  a  “  round-robin,”  or  a  particular 
mode  of  signing  complaints  practised  by  seamen,  in  which 
the  nicest  observer  cannot  tell  which  is  the  beginning  or 
which  the  end. 

It  required  all  the  Parisian  breeding  of  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  to  preserve  her  gravity  during  this  overture, 
though  she  kept  her  bright,  animated,  French-looking  eyes 
roaming  over  the  assembly,  with  an  air  of  delight  that,  as 
Mr.  Bragg  would  say,  made  her  very  popular.  No  one  else 
in  the  party  from  the  Wigwam,  Captain  Truck  excepted, 


312 


Ifcome  as  ffounfc 


dared  look  up,  but  each  kept  his  or  her  eyes  riveted  on  the 
floor,  as  if  in  silent  enjoyment  of  the  harmonies.  As  for 
the  honest  old  seaman,  there  was  as  much  melody  in  the 
howling  of  a  gale  to  his  unsophisticated  ears  as  in  anything 
else,  and  he  saw  no  difference  between  this  feat  of  the  Tem¬ 
pleton  band  and  the  sighing  of  old  Boreas  ;  and,  to  say  the 
truth,  our  nautical  critic  was  not  much  out  of  the  way. 

Of  the  oration  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  much,  for  if 
human  nature  is  the  same  in  all  ages,  and  under  all  circum¬ 
stances,  so  is  a  Fourth  of  July  oration.  There  were  the  usual 
allusions  to  Greece  and  Rome,  between  the  republics  of 
which  and  that  of  this  country  there  exists  some  such  affinity 
as  is  to  be  found  between  a  horse-chestnut  and  a  chestnut- 
horse,  or  that  of  mere  words  ;  and  a  long  catalogue  of  na¬ 
tional  glories  that  might  very  well  have  sufficed  for  all  the 
republics,  both  of  antiquity  and  of  our  own  time.  But  when 
the  orator  came  to  speak  of  the  American  character,  and 
particularly  of  the  intelligence  of  the  nation,  he  was  most 
felicitous,  and  made  the  largest  investments  in  popularity. 
According  to  his  account  of  the  matter,  no  other  people  pos¬ 
sessed  a  tithe  of  the  knowledge,  or  a  hundreth  part  of  the 
honesty  and  virtue  of  the  very  community  he  was  address¬ 
ing  ;  and  after  laboring  for  ten  minutes  to  convince  his  hear¬ 
ers  that  they  already  knew  everything,  he  wasted  several 
more  in  trying  to  persuade  them  to  undertake  further  acqui¬ 
sitions  of  the  same  nature. 

“  How  much  better  all  this  might  be  made,”  said  Paul 
Powis,  as  the  party  returned  towards  the  Wigwam  when  the 
“  exercises  ”  were  ended,  “  by  substituting  a  little  plain  in¬ 
struction  on  the  real  nature  and  obligations  of  the  institu¬ 
tions,  for  so  much  unmeaning  rhapsody.  Nothing  has  struck 
me  with  more  surprise  and  pain  than  to  find  how  far,  or  it 
might  be  better  to  say  how  high,  ignorance  reaches  on  such 
subjects,  and  how  few  men,  in  a  country  where  all  depends 
on  the  institutions,  have  clear  notions  concerning  their  own 
condition.” 

“  Certainly  this  is  not  the  opinion  we  usually  entertain  of 
ourselves,”  observed  John  Kfhngham.  “And  yet  it  ought 
to  be.  I  am  far  from  underrating  the  ordinary  information 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


313 


of  the  country,  which,  as  an  average  information,  is  superior 
to  that  of  almost  every  other  people  ;  nor  am  I  one  of  those 
who,  according  to  the  popular  European  notion,  fancy  the 
Americans  less  gifted  than  common  in  intellect ;  there  can 
be  but  one  truth  in  anything,  however,  and  it  falls  to  the  lot 
of  very  few,  anywhere,  to  master  it.  The  Americans,  more¬ 
over,  are  a  people  of  facts  and  practices,  paying  but  little 
attention  to  principles,  and  giving  themselves  the  very 
minimum  of  time  for  investigations  that  lie  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  common  mind  ;  and  it  follows  that  they  know  little 
of  that  which  does  not  present  itself  in  their  every-day  trans¬ 
actions.  As  regards  the  practice  of  the  institutions,  it  is 
regulated  here,  as  elsewhere,  by  party,  and  party  is  never  an 
honest  or  a  disinterested  expounder.  ’  ’ 

“Are  you,  then,  more  than  in  the  common  dilemma,” 
asked  Sir  George,  ‘  ‘  or  worse  off  than  your  neighbors  ?  ’  ’ 

“We  are  worse  off  than  our  neighbors,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  it  is  the  intention  of  the  American  system,  which 
has  been  deliberately  framed,  and  which  is  moreover  the 
result  of  a  bargain,  to  carry  out  its  theory  in  practice  ; 
whereas,  in  countries  where  the  institutions  are  the  results  of 
time  and  accidents,  improvement  is  only  obtained  by  inno¬ 
vations.  Party  invariably  assails  and  weakens  power. 
When  power  is  in  the  possession  of  a  few,  the  many  gain  by 
party  ;  but  when  power  is  the  legal  right  of  the  many,  the 
few  gain  by  party.  Now  as  party  has  no  ally  as  strong  as 
ignorance  and  prejudice,  a  right  understanding  of  the  prin¬ 
ciples  of  a  government  is  of  far  more  importance  in  a  popular 
government  than  in  any  other.  In  place  of  the  eternal 
eulogies  on  facts,  that  one  hears  on  all  public  occasions  in 
this  country,  I  would  substitute  some  plain  and  clear  expo¬ 
sitions  of  principles  ;  or,  indeed,  I  might  say,  of  facts  as  they 
are  connected  with  principles.  ’  ’ 

“  Mats ,  le  musique ,  Monsieur ,”  interrupted  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  in  a  way  so  droll  as  to  raise  a  general  smile,  “  qu' en 
pensez-vous  f  ’  ’ 

“  That  it  is  music,  my  dear  Mademoiselle,  in  neither  fact 
nor  principle.” 

“  It  only  proves  that  a  people  can  be  free,  Mademoiselle,” 


3M 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


observed  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  “and  enjoy  Fourth  of  July 
orations,  without  having  very  correct  notions  of  harmony 
or  time.  But  do  our  rejoicings  end  here,  Miss  Effingham  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Not  at  all — there  is  still  something  in  reserve  for  the 
day,  and  all  who  honor  it.  I  am  told  the  evening,  which 
promises  to  be  sufficiently  sombre,  is  to  terminate  with  a  fete 
that  is  peculiar  to  Templeton,  and  which  is  called,  ‘  The  Fun 
of  Fire.’  ” 

n  It  is  an  ominous  name,  and  ought  to  be  a  brilliant 
ceremony.  ’  ’ 

As  this  was  uttered,  the  whole  party  entered  the  Wig¬ 
wam. 

‘  ‘  The  Fun  of  Fire  ’  ’  took  place,  as  a  matter  of  course,  at 
a  late  hour.  When  night  had  set  in,  everybody  appeared  in 
the  main  street  of  the  village,  a  part  of  which,  from  its 
width  and  form,  was  particularly  adapted  to  the  sports  of 
the  evening.  The  females  were  mostly  at  the  windows,  or 
on  such  elevated  stands  as  favored  their  view,  and  the  party 
from  the  Wigwam  occupied  a  large  balcony  that  topped  the 
piazza  of  one  of  the  principal  inns  of  the  place. 

The  sports  of  the  night  commenced  with  rockets,  of  which 
a  few,  that  did  as  much  credit  to  the  climate  as  to  the  state 
of  the  pyrotechnics  of  the  village,  were  thrown  up,  as  soon 
as  the  darkness  had  become  sufficiently  dense  to  lend  them 
brilliancy.  Then  followed  wheels,  crackers,  and  serpents, 
all  of  the  most  primitive  kind,  if,  indeed,  there  be  anything 
primitive  in  such  amusement.  “  The  Fun  of  Fire  ”  was  to 
close  the  rejoicings,  and  it  was  certainly  worth  all  the  sports 
of  that  day  united,  the  gingerbread  and  spruce  beer  in¬ 
cluded. 

A  blazing  ball  cast  from  a  shop-door  was  the  signal  for  the 
commencement  of  the  Fun.  It  was  merely  a  ball  of  rope- 
yarn,  or  of  some  other  material  saturated  with  turpentine,  and 
it  burned  with  a  bright,  fierce  flame  until  consumed.  As 
the  first  of  these  fiery  meteors  sailed  into  the  street,  a  com¬ 
mon  shout  from  the  boys,  apprentices,  and  young  men,  pro¬ 
claimed  that  the  fun  was  at  hand.  It  was  followed  by  sev¬ 
eral  more,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  entire  area  was  gleaming 
with  glancing  light.  The  whole  of  the  amusement  consisted 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


3*5 


in  tossing  the  fire-balls  with  boldness,  and  in  avoiding  them 
with  dexterity,  something  like  competition  soon  entering 
into  the  business  of  the  scene. 

The  effect  was  singularly  beautiful.  Groups  of  dark  ob¬ 
jects  became  suddenly  illuminated,  and  here  a  portion  of 
the  throng  might  be  seen  beneath  a  brightness  like  that  pro¬ 
duced  by  a  bonfire,  while  all  the  background  of  persons  and 
faces  were  gliding  about  in  a  darkness  that  almost  swallowed 
up  a  human  figure.  Suddenly  all  this  would  be  changed  ; 
the  brightness  would  pass  away,  and  a  ball  alighting  in  a 
spot  that  had  seemed  abandoned  to  gloom,  it  would  be  found 
peopled  with  merry  countenances  and  active  forms.  The 
constant  changes  from  brightness  to  deep  darkness,  with  all 
the  varying  gleams  of  light  and  shadow,  made  the  beauty 
of  the  scene,  which  soon  extorted  admiration  from  all  in  the 
balcony. 

“Mats,  d  est  charmant !  ”  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville,  who  was  enchanted  at  discovering  something  like 
gayety  and  pleasure  among  the  “  tristes  Americains ,”  and 
who  had  never  even  suspected  them  of  being  capable  of  so 
much  apparent  enjoyment. 

These  are  the  prettiest  village  sports  I  have  ever  wit¬ 
nessed,”  said  Eve,  “though  a  little  dangerous,  one  would 
think.  There  is  something  refreshing,  as  the  magazine 
writers  term  it,  to  find  one  of  these  miniature  towns  of  ours 
condescending  to  be  gay  and  happy  in  a  village  fashion.  If 
I  were  to  bring  my  strongest  objection  to  American  country 
life,  it  would  be  its  ambitious  desire  to  ape  the  towns,  con¬ 
verting  the  ease  and  abandoji  of  a  village  into  the  formality 
and  stiffness  that  render  children  in  the  clothes  of  grown 
people  so  absurdly  ludicrous.” 

“  What  !  ”  exclaimed  John  Effingham  ;  “do  you  fancy  it 
possible  to  reduce  a  free  man  so  low,  as  to  deprive  him  of 
his  stilts  !  No,  no,  j^oung  lady  ;  you  are  now  in  a  country 
where,  if  you  have  two  rows  of  flounces  on  your  frock,  your 
maid  will  make  it  a  point  to  have  three,  by  way  of  main¬ 
taining  the  equilibrium.  This  is  the  noble  ambition  of 
liberty.” 

“Annette’s  foible  is  a  love  of  flounces,  cousin  Jack,  and 


3l6 


Ibonte  as  ffounb 


you  have  drawn  that  image  from  your  eye  instead  of  your 
imagination.  It  is  a  French  as  well  as  an  American  ambi¬ 
tion,  if  ambition  it  be.” 

‘  ‘  Eet  it  be  drawn  whence  it  may,  it  is  true.  Have  you 
not  remarked,  Sir  George  Templemore,  that  the  Americans 
will  not  even  bear  the  ascendency  of  a  capital  ?  Formerly, 
Philadelphia,  then  the  largest  town  in  the  country,  was  the 
political  capital ;  but  it  was  too  much  for  any  one  commu¬ 
nity  to  enjoy  the  united  consideration  that  belongs  to  extent 
and  politics  ;  and  so  the  honest  public  went  to  work  to 
make  a  capital,  that  should  have  nothing  else  in  its  favor 
but  the  naked  fact  that  it  was  the  seat  of  government,  and 
I  think  it  will  be  generally  allowed  that  they  have  suc¬ 
ceeded  to  admiration.  I  fancy  Mr.  Dodge  will  admit  that 
it  would  be  quite  intolerable,  that  country  should  not  be 
town,  and  town,  country.” 

‘‘This  is  a  land  of  equal  rights,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  and 
I  confess  that  I  see  no  claim  that  New  York  possesses, 
which  does  not  equally  belong  to  Templeton.” 

‘‘Do  you  hold,  sir,”  inquired  Captain  Truck,  “that  a 
ship  is  a  brig,  and  a  brig  a  ship  ?  ’  ’ 

‘‘The  case  is  different;  Templeton  is  a  town,  is  it  not, 
Mr.  John  Effingham  ?  ” 

‘‘A  town,  Mr.  Dodge,  but  not  town.  The  difference  is 
essential.” 

“  I  do  not  see  it,  sir.  Now,  New  York,  to  my  notion,  is 
not  a  town,  but  a  city.” 

‘  ‘  Ah  !  This  is  the  critical  acumen  of  the  editor  !  But 
you  should  be  indulgent,  Mr.  Dodge,  to  us  laymen,  who 
pick  up  our  phrases  by  merely  wandering  about  the  world, 
or  in  the  nursery,  perhaps  ;  while  you,  of  the  favored  few,  by 
living  in  the  condensation  of  a  province,  obtain  a  precision 
and  accuracy  to  which  we  can  lay  no  claim.  ’  ’ 

The  darkness  prevented  the  editor  of  the  ‘  ‘  Active  In¬ 
quirer  ”  from  detecting  the  general  smile,  and  he  remained 
in  happy  ignorance  of  the  feeling  that  produced  it.  To  say 
the  truth,  not  the  smallest  of  the  besetting  vices  of  Mr. 
Dodge  had  their  foundation  in  a  provincial  education  and 
in  provincial  notions  ;  the  invariable  tendency  of  both  being 


t)ome  as  jfounfc 


317 


to  persuade  their  subject  that  he  is  always  right,  while  all 
opposed  to  him  in  opinion  are  wrong.  That  well-known 
line  of  Pope,  in  which  the  poet  asks,  ‘  ‘  What  can  we  rea¬ 
son,  but  from  what  we  know?”  contains  the  principles  of 
half  our  foibles  and  faults,  and  perhaps  explains  fully  that 
proportion  of  those  of  Mr.  Dodge,  to  say  nothing  of  those 
of  no  small  number  of  his  countrymen.  There  are  limits  to 
the  knowledge,  and  tastes,  and  habits  of  every  man,  and,  as 
each  is  regulated  by  the  opportunities  of  the  individual,  it 
follows  of  necessity,  that  no  one  can  have  a  standard  much 
above  his  own  experience.  That  an  isolated  and  remote 
people  should  be  a  provincial  people,  or,  in  other  words,  a 
people  of  narrow  and  peculiar  practices  and  opinions,  is  as 
unavoidable  as  that  study  should  make  a  scholar ;  though 
in  the  case  of  America,  the  great  motive  for  surprise  is  to 
be  found  in  the  fact  that  causes  so  very  envious  should  pro¬ 
duce  so  little  effect.  When  compared  with  the  bulk  of 
other  nations,  the  Americans,  though  so  remote  and  insu¬ 
lated,  are  scarcely  provincial,  for  it  is  only  when  the  high¬ 
est  standard  of  this  nation  is  compared  with  the  highest 
standard  of  other  nations,  that  we  detect  the  great  deficiency 
that  actually  exists.  That  a  moral  foundation  so  broad 
should  uphold  a  moral  superstructure  so  narrow,  is  owing 
to  the  circumstance  that  the  popular  sentiment  rules,  and  as 
everything  is  referred  to  a  body  of  judges  that,  in  the  na¬ 
ture  of  things,  must  be  of  very  limited  and  superficial  attain¬ 
ments,  it  cannot  be  a  matter  of  wonder  to  the  reflecting, 
that  the  decision  shares  in  the  qualities  of  the  tribunal. 


In  America,  the  gross  mistake  has  been  made  of  supposing, 
that,  because  the  mass  rules  in  a  political  sense,  it  has  a 


right  to  be  listened  to  and  obeyed  in  all  other  matters — a 
practical  deduction  that  can  only  lead,  under  the  most  favor¬ 
able  exercise  of  power,  to  a  very  humble  mediocrity.  It  is 
to  be  hoped  that  time,  and  a  greater  concentration  of  taste, 
liberality,  and  knowledge  than  can  well  distinguish  a  young 
and  scattered  population,  will  repair  this  evil,  and  that  our 
children  will  reap  the  harvest  of  the  broad  fields  of  intelli¬ 
gence  that  have  been  sown  by  ourselves.  In  the  meantime, 
the  present  generation  must  endure  that  which  cannot  easily 


Ibome  as  fount* 


318 

be  cured  ;  and  among  its  other  evils,  it  will  have  to  submit 
to  a  great  deal  of  very  questionable  information,  not  a  few 
false  principles,  and  an  unpleasant  degree  of  intolerant  and 
narrow  bigotry,  that  are  propagated  by  such  apostles  of 
liberty  and  learning  as  Steadfast  Dodge,  Esquire. 

We  have  written  in  vain,  if  it  now  be  necessary  to  point 
out  a  multitude  of  things  in  which  that  professed  instructor 
and  Mentor  of  the  public,  the  editor  of  the  “Active  In¬ 
quirer,”  had  made  a  false  estimate  of  himself,  as  well  as  of 
his  fellow-creatures.  That  such  a  man  should  be  ignorant, 
is  to  be  expected,  as  he  had  never  been  instructed  ;  that 
he  was  self-sufficient,  was  owing  to  his  ignorance,  which 
oftener  induces  vanity  than  modesty  ;  that  he  was  intolerant 
and  bigoted,  follows  as  a  legitimate  effect  of  his  provincial 
and  contracted  habits  ;  that  he  was  a  hypocrite,  came  from 
his  homage  to  the  people  ;  and  that  one  thus  constituted 
should  be  permitted  periodically  to  pour  out  his  vapidity, 
folly,  malice,  envy,  and  ignorance,  on  his  fellow-creatures, 
in  the  columns  of  a  newspaper,  was  owing  to  a  state  of 
society  in  which  the  truth  of  the  wholesome  adage,  that 
“What  is  every  man’s  business  is  nobody’s  business,”  is 
exemplified  not  only  daily,  but  hourly,  in  a  hundred  other 
interests  of  equal  magnitude,  as  well  as  to  a  capital  mis¬ 
take,  that  leads  the  community  to  fancy  that  whatever  is 
done  in  their  name,  is  done  for  their  good. 

As  the  “  Fun  of  Fire”  had,  by  this  time,  exhibited  most 
of  its  beauties,  the  party  belonging  to  the  Wigwam  left  the 
balcony,  and,  the  evening  proving  mild,  they  walked  into 
the  grounds  of  the  building,  where  they  naturally  broke  into 
groups,  conversing  on  the  incidents  of  the  day,  or  of  such 
other  matters  as  came  uppermost.  Occasionally,  gleams 
of  light  were  thrown  across  them  from  a  fire-ball ;  or  a 
rocket’s  starry  train  was  still  seen  drawn  in  the  air,  resem¬ 
bling  the  wake  of  a  ship  at  night,  as  it  wades  through  the 


ocean. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

“  Gentle  Octavia, 

Let  your  best  love  draw  to  that  point,  which  seeks 
But  to  preserve  it.” 

Antony  and  Cleopatra. 

WE  shall  not  say  it  was  an  accident  that  brought 
Paul  and  Eve  side  by  side,  and  a  little  sepa¬ 
rated  from  the  others ;  for  a  secret  sympathy 
had  certainly  exercised  its  influence  over  both, 
and  probably  contributed  as  much  as  anything  else  towards 
bringing  about  the  circumstance.  Although  the  Wigwam 
stood  in  the  centre  of  the  village,  its  grounds  covered  several 
acres,  and  were  intersected  with  winding  walks,  and  orna¬ 
mented  with  shrubbery,  in  the  well-known  English  style,  im¬ 
provements  also  of  John  Effingham  ;  for,  while  the  climate 
and  forests  of  America  offer  so  many  inducements  to  encour¬ 
age  landscape  gardening,  it  is  the  branch  of  art  that,  of  all 
the  other  ornamental  arts,  is  perhaps  the  least  known  in 
this  country.  It  is  true,  time  had  not  yet  brought  the  labors 
of  the  projector  to  perfection,  in  this  instance  ;  but  enough 
had  been  done  to  afford  very  extensive,  varied,  and  pleasing 
walks.  The  grounds  were  broken,  and  John  Effingham  had 
turned  the  irregularities  to  good  account,  by  planting  and 
leading  paths  among  them,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the 
lookers-on,  however,  who,  like  true  disciples  of  the  Manhat- 
tanese  economy,  had  already  begun  to  calculate  the  cost 
of  what  they  termed  grading  the  lawns,  it  being  with  them 
as  much  a  matter  of  course  to  bring  pleasure  grounds  down 
to  a  mathematical  surface,  as  to  bring  a  railroad  route  down 
to  the  proper  level. 


319 


320 


Dome  as  ffounO 


Through  these  paths,  and  among  the  irregularities, 
groves,  and  shrubberies  just  mentioned,  the  party  began  to 
stroll ;  one  group  taking  a  direction  eastward,  another  south, 
and  a  third  westward,  in  a  way  soon  to  break  them  up  into 
five  or  six  different  divisions.  These  several  portions  of  the 
company  ere  long  got  to  move  in  opposite  directions,  by 
taking  the  various  paths,  and  while  they  frequently  met, 
they  did  not  often  re-unite.  As  has  been  already  intimated, 
Eve  and  Paul  were  alone,  for  the  first  time  in  their  lives, 
under  circumstances  that  admitted  of  an  uninterrupted 
confidential  conversation.  Instead  of  profiting  immediately, 
however,  by  this  unusual  occurrence,  as  many  of  our  readers 
may  anticipate,  the  }^oung  man  continued  the  discourse  in 
which  the  whole  party  had  been  engaged  when  they  entered 
the  gate  that  communicated  with  the  street. 

‘  ‘  I  know  not  whether  you  felt  the  same  embarrassment  as 
myself,  to-day,  Miss  Effingham,”  he  said,  “when  the  ora¬ 
tor  was  dilating  on  the  glories  of  the  republic,  and  on  the 
high  honors  that  accompany  the  American  name.  Cer¬ 
tainly,  though  a  pretty  extensive  traveller,  I  have  never  yet 
been  able  to  discover  that  it  is  any  advantage  abroad  to  be 
one  of  the  ‘  fourteen  millions  of  freemen.’  ” 

‘  ‘  Are  we  to  attribute  the  mystery  that  so  long  hung 
over  your  birthplace  to  this  fact  ?  ’  ’  Eve  asked,  a  little 
pointedly. 

“  If  I  have  made  any  seeming  mystery  as  to  the  place  of 
my  birth,  it  has  been  involuntary  on  my  part,  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham,  so  far  as  you  at  least  have  been  concerned.  I  may 
not  have  thought  myself  authorized  to  introduce  my  own 
history  into  our  little  discussions,  but  I  am  not  conscious  of 
aiming  at  any  unusual  concealments.  At  Vienna,  and  in 
Switzerland,  we  met  as  travellers  ;  and  now  that  yon  ap¬ 
pear  disposed  to  accuse  me  of  concealment,  I  may  retort, 
and  say  that  neither  }tou  nor  your  father  ever  expressly 
stated  in  my  presence  that  you  were  Americans.  ’  ’ 

“  Was  that  necessary,  Mr.  Powis  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  Perhaps  not ;  and  I  am  wrong  to  draw  a  comparison 
between  my  own  insignificance,  and  the  eclat  that  attended 
you  and  your  movements.  ’  ’ 


Ibonte  as  tfomb 


321 


“Nay,”  interrupted  Eve,  “do  not  misconceive  me.  My 
father  felt  an  interest  in  you,  quite  naturally,  after  what 
had  occurred  on  the  lake  of  Lucerne,  and  I  believe  he  was 
desirous  of  making  you  out  a  countryman — a  pleasure  that 
he  has  at  length  received.” 

“  To  own  the  truth,  I  was  never  quite  certain,  until  my 
last  visit  to  England,  on  which  side  of  the  Atlantic  I  was 
actually  born,  and  to  this  uncertainty,  perhaps,  may  be 
attributed  some  of  that  cosmopolitism  to  which  I  made  so 
many  high  pretensions  in  our  late  passage.” 

“  Not  know  where  you  were  born  !  ”  exclaimed  Eve,  with 
an  involuntary  haste,  that  she  immediately  repented. 

“This,  no  doubt,  sounds  odd  to  you,  Miss  Effingham, 
who  have  always  been  the  pride  and  solace  of  a  most  affec¬ 
tionate  father,  but  it  has  never  been  my  good  fortune  to 
know  either  parent.  My  mother,  who  was  the  sister  of 
Ducie’s  mother,  died  at  my  birth,  and  the  loss  of  my  father 
even  preceded  hers.  I  may  be  said  to  have  been  born  an 
orphan.” 

Eve,  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  had  taken  his  arm,  and 
the  young  man  felt  the  gentle  pressure  of  her  little  hand,  as 
she  permitted  this  expression  of  sympathy  to  escape  her,  at 
a  moment  she  found  so  intensely  interesting  to  herself. 

“It  was,  indeed,  a  misfortune,  Mr.  Powis,  and  I  fear  you 
were  put  into  the  navy  through  the  want  of  those  who 
would  feel  a  natural  concern  in  your  welfare.” 

“  The  navy  was  my  own  choice  ;  partly,  I  think,  from  a 
certain  love  of  adventure,  and  quite  as  much,  perhaps,  with 
a  wish  to  settle  the  question  of  my  birthplace,  practically  at 
least,  by  enlisting  in  the  service  of  the  one  that  I  first  knew, 
and  certainly  best  loved.” 

“  But  of  that  birthplace,  I  understand  there  is  now  no 
doubt  ?  ’  ’  said  Eve,  with  more  interest  than  she  was  herself 
conscious  of  betraying. 

“  None  whatever.  I  am  a  native  of  Philadelphia.  That 
point  was  conclusively  settled  in  my  late  visit  to  my  aunt, 
Lady  Dunluce,  who  was  present  at  my  birth.” 

“^Ts  Lady  Dunluce  also  an  American?  ” 

“She  is;  never  having  quitted  the  country  until  after 


322 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


her  marriage  to  Colonel  Ducie.  She  was  a  younger  sister 
of  my  mother’s,  and,  notwithstanding  some  jealousies  and  a 
little  coldness  that  I  trust  have  now  disappeared,  I  am  of 
opinion  she  loved  her  ;  though  one  can  hardly  answer  for 
the  durability  of  the  family  ties  in  a  country  where  the 
institutions  and  habits  are  as  artificial  as  in  England.” 

“Do  you  think  there  is  less  family  affection,  then,  in 
England  than  in  America  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  will  not  exactly  say  as  much,  though  I  am  of  opinion 
that  neither  country  is  remarkable  in  that  way.  In  Eng¬ 
land,  among  the  higher  classes,  it  is  impossible  that  the 
feelings  should  not  be  weakened  by  so  many  adverse  inter¬ 
ests.  When  a  brother  knows  that  nothing  stands  between 
himself  and  rank  and  wealth,  but  the  claims  of  one  who  was 
born  a  twelvemonth  earlier  than  himself,  he  gets  to  feel 
more  like  a  rival  than  a  kinsman,  and  the  temptation  to 
envy  or  dislike,  or  even  hatred,  sometimes  becomes  stronger 
than  the  duty  to  love.” 

“  And  3ret  the  English  themselves  say  that  the  sendees 
rendered  by  the  elder  to  the  younger  brother,  and  the 
gratitude  of  the  younger  to  the  elder,  are  so  many  addi¬ 
tional  ties.” 

‘  ‘  It  would  be  contrary  to  all  the  known  laws  of  feeling, 
and  all  experience,  if  this  were  so.  The  younger  applies 
to  the  elder  for  aid  in  preference  to  a  stranger,  because  he 
thinks  he  has  a  claim  ;  and  what  man  who  fancies  he  has  a 
claim,  is  disposed  to  believe  justice  is  fully  done  him  ;  or 
who  that  is  required  to  discharge  a  duty,  imagines  he  has 
not  done  more  than  could  be  properly  asked  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  fear  your  opinion  of  men  is  none  of  the  best,  Mr. 
Powis  !  ” 

“There  may  be  exceptions,  but  such  I  believe  to  be  the 
common  fate  of  humanity.  The  moment  a  duty  is  created, 
a  disposition  to  think  it  easily  discharged  follows  ;  and  of  all 
sentiments  that  of  a  continued  and  exacting  gratitude  is  the 
most  oppressive.  I  fear  more  brothers  are  aided  through 
famil)r  pride,  than  through  natural  affection.” 

“What,  then,  loosens  the  tie  among  ourselves,  where  no 
law  of  primogeniture  exists  ?  ” 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


323 


That  which  loosens  everything.  A  love  of  change  that 
has  grown  up  with  the  migratory  habits  of  the  people,  and 
which,  perhaps,  is  in  some  measure  fostered  by  the  institu¬ 
tions.  Here  is  Mr.  Bragg  to  confirm  what  I  say,  and  we 
may  hear  his  sentiments  on  this  subject.” 

As  Aristabulus,  with  whom  walked  Mr.  Dodge,  just  at 
that  moment  came  out  of  the  shrubbery,  and  took  the  same 
direction  with  themselves,  Powis  put  the  question,  as  one 
addresses  an  acquaintance  in  a  room. 

Rotation  in  feelings,  sir,”  returned  Mr.  Bragg,  “is 
human  nature,  as  rotation  in  office  is  natural  justice.  Some 
of  our  people  are  of  opinion  that  it  might  be  useful  could 
the  whole  of  society  be  made  periodically  to  change  places, 
in  order  that  every  one  might  know  how  his  neighbor 
lives.” 

“  You  are  then  an  agrarian,  Mr.  Bragg?  ” 

“As  far  from  it  as  possible;  nor  do  I  believe  you  will 
find  such  an  animal  in  this  country.  Where  property  is 
concerned,  we  are  a  people  that  never  let  go  so  long  as  we 
can  hold  on,  sir ;  but  beyond  this,  we  like  lively  changes. 
Now,  Miss  Effingham,  everybody  thinks  frequent  changes 
of  religious  instructors,  in  particular,  necessary.  There  can 
be  no  vital  piety  without  keeping  the  flame  alive  with  ex¬ 
citement.” 

“  I  confess,  sir,  that  my  own  reasoning  would  lead  to  a 
directly  contrary  conclusion,  and  that  there  can  be  no  vital 
piety,  as  you  term  it,  with  excitement.” 

Mr.  Bragg  looked  at  Mr.  Dodge,  and  Mr.  Dodge  looked 
at  Mr.  Bragg.  Then  each  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  the 
former  continued  the  discourse. 

“That  maybe  the  case  in  France,  Miss  Effingham,”  he 
said,  “  but  in  America  we  look  to  excitement  as  the  great 
purifier.  We  should  as  soon  expect  the  air  in  the  bottom 
of  a  well  to  be  elastic,  as  that  the  moral  atmosphere  shall 
be  clear  and  salutary  without  the  breezes  of  excitement. 
For  my  part,  Mr.  Dodge,  I  think  no  man  should  be  a  judge 
in  the  same  court  more  than  ten  years  at  a  time,  and  a 
priest  gets  to  be  rather  commonplace  and  fiat  after  five. 
There  are  men  who  may  hold  out  a  little  longer,  I  acknowl- 


324 


Ifeome  as  fount* 


edge ;  but  to  keep  real,  vital,  soul-saving  regeneration 
stirring,  a  change  should  take  place  as  often  as  once  in  five 
years  in  a  parish  ;  that  is  my  opinion  at  least.” 

“  But,  sir,”  rejoined  Eve,  “  as  the  laws  of  religion  are  im¬ 
mutable,  the  modes  by  which  it  is  known  universal,  and  the 
promises,  mediation,  and  obligations  are  everywhere  the 
same,  I  do  not  see  what  you  propose  to  gain  by  so  many 
changes.” 

“Why,  Miss  Effingham,  we  change  the  dishes  at  table, 
and  no  family  of  my  acquaintance  more  than  this  of  your 
honorable  father’s  ;  and  I  am  surprised  to  find  you  opposed 
to  the  system.” 

“Our  religion,  sir,”  answered  Eve,  gravely,  “is  a  duty, 
and  rests  on  revelation  and  obedience  ;  while  our  diet  may 
very  innocently  be  a  matter  of  mere  taste,  or  even  of  caprice, 
if  you  will.” 

“Well,  I  confess  I  see  no  great  difference,  the  main  ob¬ 
ject  in  this  life  being  to  stir  people  up,  and  to  go  ahead. 
I  presume  you  know,  Miss  Eve,  that  many  people  think 
that  we  ought  to  change  our  own  parson,  if  we  expect  a 
blessing  on  the  congregation.” 

“I  should  sooner  expect  a  curse  would  follow  an  act  of 
so  much  heartlessness,  sir.  Our  clergyman  has  been  with 
us  since  his  entrance  into  the  duties  of  his  holy  office,  and  it 
will  be  difficult  to  suppose  that  the  divine  favor  would  fol¬ 
low  the  commission  of  so  selfish  and  capricious  a  step,  with 
a  motive  no  better  than  the  desire  for  novelty.” 

“  You  quite  mistake  the  object,  Miss  Eve,  which  is  to  stir 
the  people  up ;  a  hopeless  thing,  I  fear,  so  long  as  they 
always  sit  under  the  same  preaching.” 

“  I  have  been  taught  to  believe  that  piety  is  increased, 
Mr.  Bragg,  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit’s  sustaining  and 
supporting  us  in  our  good  desires  ;  and  I  cannot  persuade 
myself  that  the  Deity  finds  it  necessary  to  save  a  soul  by 
the  means  of  any  of  those  human  agencies  by  which  men 
sack  towns,  turn  an  election,  or  incite  a  mob.  I  hear  that 
extraordinary  scenes  are  witnessed  in  this  country"  in  some 
of  the  other  sects  ;  but  I  trust  never  to  see  the  day,  when 
the  apostolic,  reverend,  and  sober  church,  in  wThich  I  have 


Ibome  as  tfownb 


3^5 

been  nurtured,  shall  attempt  to  advance  the  workings  of 
that  divine  power  by  a  profane,  human  hurrah.” 

All  this  was  Greek  to  Messrs.  Dodge  and  Bragg,  who,  in 
furthering  their  objects,  were  so  accustomed  to  “stirring 
people  up,”  that  they  had  quite  forgotten  that  the  more  a 
man  was  in  “an  excitement,”  the  less  he  had  to  do  with 
reason.  The  exaggerated  religious  sects  which  first  peopled 
America,  have  had  a  strong  influence  in  transmitting  to  their 
posterity  false  notions  on  such  subjects  ;  for  while  the  Old 
World  is  accustomed  to  see  Christianity  used  as  an  ally  of 
government,  and  perverted  from  its  one  great  end  to  be  the 
instrument  of  ambition,  cupidity,  and  selfishness,  the  New 
World  has  been  fated  to  witness  the  reaction  of  such  abuses, 
and  to  run  into  nearly  as  many  errors  in  the  opposite  ex- 
treme.  The  two  persons  just  mentioned  had  been  educated 
in  the  provincial  school  of  religious  notions,  that  is  so  much 
in  favor  in  a  portion  of  this  country  ;  and  they  were  strik¬ 
ing  examples  of  the  truth  of  the  adage,  that  ‘  ‘  What  is  bred 
in  the  bone  will  be  seen  in  the  flesh,”  for  their  common 
character,  common  in  this  particular  at  least,  was  a  queer 
mixture  of  the  most  narrow  superstitions  and  prejudices 
that  existed  under  the  garb  of  religious  training,  and  of  un¬ 
justifiable  frauds,  meannesses,  and  even  vices.  Mr.  Bragg 
was  a  better  man  than  Mr.  Dodge,  for  he  had  more  self- 
reliance,  and  was  more  manly  ;  but  on  the  score  of  religion, 
he  had  the  same  contradictory  excesses,  and  there  was  a 
common  point  in  the  way  of  vulgar  vice,  towards  which 
each  tended,  simply  for  the  want  of  breeding  and  tastes,  as 
infallibly  as  the  needle  points  to  the  pole.  Cards  were 
often  introduced  in  Mr.  Efiingham’s  drawing-room,  and 
there  was  one  apartment  expressly  devoted  to  a  billiard- 
table,  and  many  was  the  secret  fling  and  biting  gibe,  that 
these  pious  devotees  passed  between  themselves,  on  the 
subject  of  so  flagrant  an  instance  of  immorality  in  a  family 
of  so  high  moral  pretensions  ;  the  two  worthies  not  unfre- 
quently  concluding  their  comments  by  repairing  to  some 
secret  room  in  a  tavern,  where,  after  carefully  locking  the 
door,  and  drawing  the  curtains,  they  would  order  brandy, 
and  pass  a  refreshing  hour  in  endeavoring  to  relieve  each 


326 


ibome  as  ffounb 


other  of  the  labor  of  carrying  their  odd  sixpences,  by  means 
of  little  shoemaker’s  loo. 

On  the  present  occasion,  however,  the  earnestness  of  Eve 
produced  a  pacifying  effect  on  their  consciences,  for  as  our 
heroine  never  raised  her  sweet  voice  above  the  tones  of  a 
gentlewoman,  its  very  mildness  and  softness  gave  force  to 
her  expressions.  Had  John  Effingham  uttered  the  senti¬ 
ments  to  which  they  had  just  listened,  it  is  probable  Mr. 
Bragg  would  have  attempted  an  answer  ;  but  under  the  cir¬ 
cumstances,  he  preferred  making  his  bow  and  diverging  into 
the  first  path  that  offered,  followed  by  his  companion.  Eve 
and  Paul  continued  their  circuit  of  the  grounds,  as  if  no  in¬ 
terruption  had  taken  place. 

‘  ‘  This  disposition  to  change  is  getting  to  be  universal  in 
the  country,”  remarked  the  latter,  as  soon  as  Aristabulus 
and  his  friend  had  left  them,  “  and  I  consider  it  one  of  the 
worst  signs  of  the  times ;  more  especially  since  it  has  be¬ 
come  so  common  to  connect  it  with  what  it  is  the  fashion 
to  call  excitement.  ’  ’ 

“To  return  to  the  subject  which  these  gentlemen  inter¬ 
rupted,”  said  Eve,  “that  of  the  family  ties;  I  have  always 
heard  England  quoted  as  one  of  the  strongest  instances  of 
a  nation  in  which  this  tie  is  slight,  beyond  its  aristocratical 
influence ;  and  I  should  be  sorry  to  suppose  that  we  are 
following  in  the  footsteps  of  our  good  mother,  in  this  respect 
at  least.” 

“  Has  Mademoiselle  Viefville  never  made  any  remark  on 
this  subject  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  though  observant,  is  discreet. 
That  she  believes  the  standard  of  the  affections  as  high  in 
this  as  in  her  own  country,  I  do  not  think  ;  for,  like  most 
Europeans,  she  considers  the  Americans  to  be  a  passionless 
people,  who  are  more  bound  up  in  the  interests  of  gain  than 
in  any  other  of  the  concerns  of  life.” 

“  She  does  not  know  us  !  ”  said  Paul,  so  earnestly  as  to 
cause  Eve  to  start  at  the  deep  energy  with  which  he  spoke. 
“The  passions  lie  as  deep,  and  run  in  currents  as  strong 
here  as  in  any  other  part  of  the  world,  though  there  not 


Ibonte  as  tfow nb 


327 


being  as  many  factitious  causes  to  dam  them,  they  less  sel¬ 
dom  break  through  the  bounds  of  propriety.  ’  ’ 

For  near  a  minute  the  two  paced  the  walk  in  silence,  and 
Eve  began  to  wish  that  some  one  of  the  party  would  again 
join  them,  that  a  conversation  which  she  felt  was  getting 
to  be  awkward,  might  be  interrupted.  But  no  one  crossed 
their  path  again,  and  without  rudeness  or  affectation,  she 
saw  no  means  of  effecting  her  object.  Paul  was  too  much 
occupied  with  his  own  feelings  to  observe  his  companion’s 
embarrassment,  and,  after  the  short  pause  mentioned,  he 
naturally  pursued  the  subject,  though  in  a  less  emphatic 
manner  than  before. 

‘  ‘  It  was  an  old  and  a  favorite  theory  with  the  Europeans,  ’  ’ 
he  said,  with  a  sort  of  bitter  irony,  “  that  all  the  animals  of 
this  hemisphere  have  less  gifted  natures  than  those  of  the 
other  ;  nor  is  it  a  theory  of  which  they  are  yet  entirely  rid.  The 
Indian  was  supposed  to  be  passionless,  because  he  had  self- 
command ;  and  what  in  the  European  would  be  thought 
exhibiting  the  feelings  of  a  noble  nature,  in  him  has  been 
represented  as  ferocity  and  revenge.  Miss  Effingham,  you 
and  I  have  seen  Europe,  have  stood  in  the  presence  of 
its  wisest,  its  noblest,  and  its  best ;  and  what  have  they  to 
boast  beyond  the  immediate  results  of  their  factitious  and 
labored  political  systems,  that  is  denied  to  the  American— 
or  rather  would  be  denied  to  the  American,  had  the  latter 
the  manliness  and  mental  independence  to  be  equal  to  his 
fortunes  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Which  you  think  he  is  not  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  How  can  a  people  be  even  independent  that  imports  its 
thoughts  as  it  does  its  wares,  that  has  not  the  spirit  to  invent 
even  its  own  prej  udices  ?  ’  ’ 

“Something  should  be  allowed  to  habit  and  to  the  in¬ 
fluence  of  time.  England  herself,  probably,  has  inherited 
some  of  her  false  notions  from  the  Saxons  and  Normans.” 

“That  is  not  only  possible,  but  probable;  but  England, 
in  thinking  of  Russia,  France,  Turkey,  or  Egypt,  when  in¬ 
duced  to  think  wrong,  yields  to  an  English,  and  not  to  an 
American  interest.  Her  errors  are  at  least  requited,  in  a 


328 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


degree,  by  serving  her  own  ends,  whereas  ours  are  made 
too  often  to  oppose  our  most  obvious  interests.  We  are 
never  independent  unless  when  stimulated  by  some  strong 
and  pressing  moneyed  concern,  and  not  often  then  beyond 
the  plainest  of  its  effects.  Here  is  one,  apparently,  who  does 
not  belong  to  our  party.  ’  ’ 

Paul  interrupted  himself,  in  consequence  of  their  meeting 
a  stranger  in  the  walk,  who  moved  with  the  indecision  of 
one  uncertain  whether  to  advance  or  to  recede.  Rockets 
frequently  fell  into  the  grounds,  and  there  had  been  one  or 
two  inroads  of  boys,  which  had  been  tolerated  on  account 
of  the  occasion  ;  but  this  intruder  was  a  man  in  the  decline 
of  life,  of  the  condition  of  a  small-tradesman,  seemingly,  and 
he  clearly  had  no  connection  with  sky-rockets,  and  his  eyes 
were  turned  inquiringly  on  the  persons  of  those  who  passed 
him  from  time  to  time,  none  of  whom  had  he  stopped,  how¬ 
ever,  until  he  now  placed  himself  before  Paul  and  Eve,  in  a 
way  to  denote  a  desire  to  speak. 

“  The  young  people  are  making  a  merry  night  of  it,”  he 
said,  keeping  a  hand  in  each  coat-pocket,  while  he  uncere¬ 
moniously  occupied  the  centre  of  the  narrow  walk,  as  if 
determined  to  compel  a  parley. 

Although  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  unceremonious 
habits  of  the  people  of  the  country  to  feel  no  surprise  at  this 
intrusion,  Paul  was  vexed  at  having  his  tHe-a-tete  with  Eve 
so  rudely  broken  ;  and  he  answered  with  more  of  the  hau¬ 
teur  of  the  quarter-deck  than  he  might  otherwise  have  done, 
by  saying  coldly, — 

•  “  Perhaps,  sir,  it  is  }rour  wish  to  see  Mr.  Effingham — 
or” — hesitating  an  instant,  as  he  scanned  the  stranger’s 
appearance — “  some  of  his  people.  The  first  will  soon  pass 
this  spot,  and  you  will  find  most  of  the  latter  on  the  lawn, 
watching  the  rockets.” 

The  man  regarded  Paul  a  moment,  and  then  he  removed 
his  hat  respectfully. 

“Please,  sir,  can  you  inform  me  if  a  gentleman  called 
Captain  Truck,  one  that  sails  the  packets  between  New 
York  and  England,  is  staying  at  the  Wigwam  at  present?  ” 

Paul  told  him  that  the  captain  was  walking  with  Mr. 


Ibome  as  ffounfc) 


329 


Effingham,  and  that  the  next  pair  that  approached  would  be 
they.  The  stranger  fell  back,  keeping  his  hat  respectfully 
in  his  hand,  and  the  two  passed. 

“  That  man  has  been  an  English  servant,  but  has  been  a 
little  spoiled  by  the  reaction  of  an  excessive  liberty  to  do  as 
he  pleases.  The  ‘  please,. sir,’  and  the  attitude,  can  hardly 
be  mistaken,  while  the  nonchalance  of  his  manner  a  71021s 
aborder ,  sufficiently  betrays  the  second  edition  of  his  educa¬ 
tion.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  am  curious  to  know  what  this  person  can  want  with 
our  excellent  captain — it  can  scarcely  be  one  of  the  M011- 
tauk’s  crew!” 

“  I  will  answer  for  it,  that  the  fellow  has  not  enough  sea¬ 
manship  about  him  to  whip  a  rope,”  said  Paul,  laughing  ; 

‘  ‘  for  if  there  be  two  temporal  pursuits  that  have  less  affinity 
than  any  two  others,  they  are  those  of  the  pantry  and  the 
tar-bucket.  I  think  it  will  be  seen  that  this  man  has  been 
an  English  servant,  and  he  has  probably  been  a  passenger 
on  board  some  ship  commanded  by  our  honest  old  friend.” 

Eve  and  Paul  now  turned,  and  they  met  Mr.  Effingham 
and  the  captain  just  as  the  two  latter  reached  the  spot  where 
the  stranger  still  stood. 

“This  is  Captain  Truck,  the  gentleman  for  whom  you 
inquired,”  said  Paul. 

The  stranger  looked  hard  at  the  captain,  and  the  captain 
looked  hard  at  the  stranger,  the  obscurity  rendering  a  pretty 
close  scrutiny  necessary,  to  enable  either  to  distinguish  feat¬ 
ures.  The  examination  seemed  to  be  mutually  unsatisfac¬ 
tory,  for  each  retired  a  little,  like  a  man  who  had  not  found 
a  face  that  he  knew. 

“  There  must  be  two  Captain  Trucks,  then,  in  the  trade,” 
said  the  stranger ;  ‘  ‘  this  is  not  the  gentleman  I  used  to 
know.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  think  you  are  as  right  in  the  latter  part  of  your  re¬ 
mark,  friend,  as  you  are  wrong  in  the  first,”  returned  the 
captain.  “  Know  you,  I  do  not ;  and  yet  there  are  no  more 
two  Captain  Trucks  in  the  English  trade  than  there  are  two 
Miss  Eve  Effinghams  or  two  Mrs.  Hawkers  in  the  universe. 

I  am  John  Truck,  and  no  other  man  of  that  name  ever 


33° 


Ifoome  as  fount* 


sailed  a  ship  between  New  York  and  England,  in  my  day 
at  least.” 

“  Did  you  ever  command  the  Dawn,  sir  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  The  Dawn  !  That  I  did  ;  and  the  Regulus,  and  the 
Manhattan,  and  the  Wilful  Girl,  and  the  Deborah-Ange- 
lina,  and  the  Sukey  and  Katy,  which,  my  dear  young  lady, 
I  may  say,  was  my  first  love.  She  was  only  a  fore-and-after, 
carrying  no  standing  topsail  even,  and  we  named  her  after 
two  of  the  river  girls,  who  were  flyers  in  their  way  ;  at 
least  I  thought  so,  then  ;  though  a  man  by  sailing  a  packet 
comes  to  alter  his  notions  about  men  and  things,  or,  for 
that  matter,  about  women  and  things  too.  I  got  into  a 
category  in  that  schooner  that  I  never  expect  to  see  equalled  ; 
for  I  was  driven  ashore  to  windward  in  her,  which  is  gibberish 
to  you,  my  dear  young  lady,  but  which  Mr.  Powis  will  very 
well  understand,  though  he  may  not  be  able  to  explain  it.” 

“  I  certainly  know  what  you  mean,”  said  Paul,  “though 
I  confess  I  am  in  a  category,  as  well  as  the  schooner,  so  far 
as  knowing  how  it  could  have  happened.” 

“The  Sukey  and  Katy  ran  away  with  me,  that’s  the 
upshot  of  it.  Since  that  time  I  have  never  consented  to 
command  a  vessel  that  was  called  after  two  of  our  river 
young  women,  for  I  do  believe  that  one  of  them  is  as  much 
as  a  common  mariner  can  manage.  You  see,  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham,  we  were  running  along  a  weather-shore,  as  close  in  as 
we  could  get,  to  be  in  the  eddy,  when  a  squall  struck  her 
abeam,  and  she  luffed  right  on  to  the  beach.  No  helping  it. 
Helm  hard  up,  peak  down,  head  sheets  to  windward,  and 
main  sheet  flying,  but  it  was  all  too  late  ;  away  she  went 
plump  ashore  to  windward.  But  for  that  accident  I  think  I 
might  have  married.” 

“  And  what  connection  could  you  find  between  matrimony 
and  this  accident,  captain?”  demanded  the  laughing  Eve. 

“  There  was  an  admonition  in  it,  my  dear  young  lady, 
that  I  thought  was  not  to  be  disregarded.  I  tried  the  Wil¬ 
ful  Girl,  next,  and  she  was  thrown  on  her  beam-ends  with 
me  ;  after  which  I  renounced  all  female  names,  and  took  to 
the  Egyptian.” 

“  The  Egyptian  !  ” 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


331 


‘  ‘  Certainly,  Regulus,  who  was  a  great  snake-killer,  they 
tell  me,  in  that  part  of  the  world.  But  I  never  saw  my  way 
quite  clear  as  bachelor  until  I  got  the  Dawn.  Did  you 
know  that  ship,  friend  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  believe,  sir,  I  made  two  passages  in  her  while  you 
commanded  her.” 

“  Nothing  more  likely  ;  we  carried  lots  of  your  country¬ 
men,  though  mostly  forward  of  the  gangways.  I  com¬ 
manded' the  Dawn  more  than  twenty  years  ago.” 

“It  is  all  of  that  time  since  I  crossed  with  you,  sir  :  you 
may  remember  that  we  fell  in  with  a  wreck,  ten  days  after 
we  sailed,  and  took  off  her  crew  and  two  passengers.  Three 
or  four  of  the  latter  had  died  with  their  sufferings,  and 
several  of  the  people.” 

“All  this  seems  but  as  yesterday!  The  wreck  was  a 
Charleston  ship,  that  had  started  a  butt.” 

“Yes,  sir — yes,  sir — that  is  just  it — she  had  started,  but 
could  not  get  in.  That  is  just  what  they  said  at  the  time. 
I  am  David,  sir — I  should  think  you  cannot  have  forgotten 
David.” 

The  honest  captain  was  very  willing  to  gratify  the  other’s 
harmless  self-importance,  though,  to  tell  the  truth,  he  re¬ 
tained  no  more  personal  knowledge  of  the  David  of  the 
Dawn,  than  he  had  of  David,  King  of  the  Jews. 

“Oh,  David!”  he  cried  cordially;  “are  you  David? 
Well,  I  did  not  expect  to  see  you  again  in  this  world,  though 
I  never  doubted  where  we  should  be,  hereafter.  I  hope  you 
are  very  well,  David  ;  what  sort  of  weather  have  you  made 
of  it  since  we  parted  ?  If  I  recollect  aright,  you  worked  your 
passage  ;  never  at  sea  before.  ’  ’ 

“  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir  ;  I  never  was  at  sea  before  the 
first  time,  it  is  true  ;  but  I  did  not  belong  to  the  crew.  I 
was  a  passenger.” 

“  I  remember,  now,  you  were  in  the  steerage,”  returned 
the  captain,  who  saw  daylight  ahead. 

“  Not  at  all,  sir,  but  in  the  cabin.” 

“  Cabin  !  ”  echoed  the  captain,  who  perceived  none  of  the 
requisites  of  a  cabin-passenger  in  the  other  ;  “  0I1  !  I  under¬ 
stand,  in  the  pantry  ?  ’  ’ 


3P 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


“Exactly  so,  sir.  You  may  remember  my  master;  he 
had  the  left-hand  state-room  to  himself,  and  I  slept  next  to 
the  scuttle-butt.  You  recollect  master,  sir?  ” 

“  Out  of  doubt,  and  a  very  good  fellow  he  was.  I  hope 
you  live  with  him  still  ?  ” 

“  Lord  bless  you,  sir,  he  is  dead  !  ” 

“  Oh  !  I  recollect  hearing  of  it  at  the  time.  Well,  David, 
I  hope  if  ever  we  cross  again  we  shall  be  shipmates  once 
more.  We  were  beginners,  then,  but  we  have  ships  worth 
living  in  now.  Good  night.” 

“  Do  you  remember  Dowse,  sir,  that  we  got  from  the 
wreck  ?  ’  ’  continued  the  other,  unwilling  to  give  up  his 
gossip  so  soon.  “  He  was  a  dark  man,  that  had  had  the 
small-pox  badly.  I  think,  sir,  you  will  recollect  him,  for  he 
was  a  hard  man  in  other  particulars  besides  his  counte¬ 
nance.” 

‘  ‘  Somewhat  flinty  about  the  soul ;  I  remember  the  man 
well ;  and  so,  David,  good  night ;  you  will  come  and  see 
me,  if  you  are  ever  in  town.  Good  night,  David.” 

David  was  now  compelled  to  leave  the  place,  for  Captain 
Truck,  who  perceived  that  the  whole  party  was  getting 
together  again  in  consequence  of  the  halt,  felt  the  propriety 
of  dismissing  his  visitor,  of  whom,  his  master,  and  Dowse, 
he  retained  just  as  much  recollection  as  one  retains  of  a 
common  stage-coach  companion  after  twenty  years.  The 
appearance  of  Mr.  Howel,  who  just  at  that  moment  ap¬ 
proached  them,  aided  the  manoeuvre,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
the  different  groups  were  again  in  motion,  though  some 
slight  changes  had  taken  place  in  the  distribution  of  the 
parties. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

“How  silver  sweet  sound  lovers’  tongues  at  night, 

Like  softest  music  to  attending  ears  !  ” 

Romeo  and  Juliet. 

\  POOR  matter,  this  of  the  fire-works,”  said  Mr. 

/  \  Howel,  who,  with  an  old  bachelor’s  want  of 

X tact,  had  joined  Eve  and  Paul  in  their  walk. 

Tne  English  would  laugh  at  them  famously, 
I  dare  say.  Have  you  heard  Sir  George  allude  to  them  at 
all,  Miss  Eve  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  It  would  be  great  affectation  for  an  Englishman  to  de¬ 
ride  the  fire-works  of  any  dry  climate,”  said  Eve,  laughing  ; 

and  I  dare  .say,  if  Sir  George  Templemore  has  been  silent 
on  the  subject,  it  is  because  he  is  conscious  he  knows  little 
about  it.” 

Well,  that  is  odd  !  I  should  think  England  the  very 
first  country  in  the  world  for  fire-works.  I  hear,  Miss  Eve, 
that  on  the  whole,  the  baronet  is  rather  pleased  with  us  ; 
and  I  must  say  that  he  is  getting  to  be  very  popular  in 
Templeton.” 

“Nothing  is  easier  than  for  an  Englishman  to  become 
popular  in  America,”  observed  Paul,  “  especially  if  his  con¬ 
dition  in  life  be  above  that  of  the  vulgar.  He  has  only  to 
declare  himself  pleased  with  America  ;  or,  to  be  sincerely 
hated,  to  declare  himself  displeased.” 

And  in  what  does  America  differ  from  any  other  coun¬ 
try,  in  this  respect?”  asked  Eve,  quickly. 

“Not  much,  certainly;  love  induces  love,  and  dislike, 
dislike.  There  is  nothing  new  in  all  this  ;  but  the  people 
of  other  countries,  having  more  confidence  in  themselves, 


334 


*)ome  as  ffounfc 


do  not  so  sensitively  inquire  what  others  think  of  them.  I 
believe  this  contains  the  whole  difference.” 

“But  Sir  George  does  rather  like  us?”  inquired  Mr. 
Howel,  with  interest. 

“  He  likes  some  of  us  particularly  well,”  returned  Eve. 

“  Do  you  not  know  that  my  cousin  Grace  is  to  become  Mrs. 
■—I  beg  her  pardon— Lady  Templemore,  very  shortly  ?  ” 

“Good  God!  Is  that  possible— Lady  Templemore— 
Lady  Grace  Templemore  !  ’  ’ 

“  Not  Lady  Grace  Templemore,  but  Grace,  Lady  Tem¬ 
plemore,  and  graceful  Lady  Templemore  into  the  bargain.” 

“And  this  honor,  my  dear  Miss  Eve,  they  tell  me  you 
refused  !  ’  ’ 

“They  tell  you  wrong,  then,  sir,”  answered  the  young 
lady,  a  little  startled  with  the  suddenness  and  brusquerie  of 
the  remark,  and  yet  prompt  to  do  justice  to  all  concerned. 

‘  ‘  Sir  George  Templemore  never  did  me  the  honor  to  pro¬ 
pose  to  me,  or  for  me,  and  consequently  he  could  not  be 
refused.” 

“It  is  very  extraordinary  !  I  hear  you  were  actually 
acquainted  in  Europe.” 

“We  were,  Mr.  Howel,  actually  acquainted  in  Europe, 
but  I  knew  hundreds  of  persons  in  Europe  who  have  never 
dreamed  of  asking  me  to  marry  them.” 

“That  is  very  strange — quite  unlooked  for — to  marry 
Miss  Van  Cortlandt !  Is  Mr.  John  Effingham  in  the 
grounds  ? ’  ’ 

Eve  made  no  answer,  but  Paul  hurriedly  observed  — 

“You  will  find  him  in  the  next  walk,  I  think,  by  re¬ 
turning  a  short  distance,  and  taking  the  first  path  to  the 
left.” 

Mr.  Howel  did  as  told,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

“  That  is  a  most  earnest  believer  in  English  superiority, 
and,  one  may  say,  by  his  strong  desire  to  give  you  an  Eng¬ 
lish  husband,  Miss  Effingham,  in  English  merit.” 

“It  is  the  weak  spot  in  the  character  of  a  very  honest 
man.  They  tell  me  such  instances  were  much  more  fre¬ 
quent  in  this  country  thirty  years  since,  than  they  are  to¬ 
day.” 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


335 


•‘lean  easily  believe  it,  for  I  think  I  remember  some 
characters  of  the  sort  myself.  I  have  heard  those  who 
are  older  than  I  am,  draw  a  distinction  like  this  between 
the  state  of  feeling  that  prevailed  forty  years  ago  and  that 
which  prevails  to-day;  they  say  that  formerly  England 
absolutely  and  despotically  thought  for  America,  in  all  but 
those  cases  in  which  the  interests  of  the  two  nations  con¬ 
flicted ;  and  I  have  even  heard  competent  judges  affirm, 
that  so  powerful  was  the  influence  of  habit,  and  so  success¬ 
ful  the  schemes  of  the  political  managers  of  the  mother 
country,  that  even  many  of  those  who  fought  for  the  inde¬ 
pendence  of  America,  actually  doubted  of  the  propriety  of 
their  acts,  as  Kuther  is  known  to  have  had  fits  of  despond¬ 
ency  concerning  the  justness  of  the  reformation  he  was 
producing  ;  while  latterly,  the  leaning  towards  Kngland  is 
less  the  result  of  a  simple  mental  dependence — though  of 
that  there  still  remains  a  disgraceful  amount — than  of  calcu¬ 
lation,  and  a  desire  in  a  certain  class  to  defeat  the  dominion 
of  the  mass,  and  to  establish  that  of  a  few  in  its  stead.’ ’ 

“  It  would,  indeed,  be  a  strange  consummation  of  the  his¬ 
tory  of  this  country  to  find  it  becoming  monarchical  !  ” 

There  are  a  few  monarchists  no  doubt  springing  up  in 
the  country,  though  almost  entirely  in  a  class  that  only 
knows  the  world  through  the  imagination  and  by  means  of 
books  ;  but  the  disposition  in  our  time  is  to  aristocrac}^  and 
not  to  monarchy.  Most  men  that  get  to  be  rich  discover 
that  they  are  no  happier  for  their  possessions  ;  perhaps  every 
man  who  has  not  been  trained  and  prepared  to  use  his  means 
properly,  is  in  this  category,  as  our  friend  the  captain  would 
call  it,  and  then  they  begin  to  long  for  some  other  untried 
advantages.  The  example  of  the  rest  of  the  world  is  before 
oui  own  wealthy,  and,  faute  d'  imagination,  they  imitate 
because  they  cannot  invent.  Exclusive  political  power  is 
also  a  great  ally  in  the  accumulation  of  money,  and  a  portion 
have  the  sagacity  to  see  it ;  though  I  suspect  more  pine  for 
the  vanities  of  the  exclusive  classes  than  for  the  substance. 
Your  sex,  Miss  Effingham,  as  a  whole,  is  not  above  this 
latter  weakness,  as  I  think  you  must  have  observed  in  your 
intercourse  with  those  you  met  abroad.” 


336 


ft>onte  as  tfourib 


“  I  met  with  some  instances  of  weakness  in  this  way,”  said 
Eve,  with  reserve,  and  with  the  pride  of  a  woman,  “  though 
not  more,  I  think,  than  among  the  men  ;  and  seldom,  in 
either  case,  among  those  whom  we  are  accustomed  to  con¬ 
sider  people  of  condition  at  home.  The  self-respect  and  the 
habits  of  the  latter  generally  preserved  them  from  betraying 
this  feebleness  of  character,  if  indeed  they  felt  it.” 

“  The  Americans  abroad  may  be  divided  into  two  great 
classes  ;  those  who  go  for  improvement  in  the  sciences  or 
the  arts,  and  those  who  go  for  mere  amusement.  As  a 
whole,  the  former  have  struck  me  as  being  singularly  re¬ 
spectable,  equally  removed  from  an  apish  servility  and  a 
swaggering  pretension  of  superiority  ;  while,  I  fear,  a  ma¬ 
jority  of  the  latter  have  a  disagreeable  direction  towards  the 
vanities.  ” 

“  I  will  not  affirm  the  contrary,”  said  Eve,  “  for  frivolity 
and  pleasure  are  only  too  closely  associated  in  ordinary 
minds.  The  number  of  those  who  prize  the  elegancies  of 
life  for  their  intrinsic  value  is  everywhere  small,  I  should 
think  ;  and  I  question  if  Europe  is  much  better  off  than  our¬ 
selves  in  this  respect.” 

“  This  may  be  true,  and  yet  one  can  only  regret  that,  in 
a  case  where  so  much  depends  on  example,  the  tone  of  our 
people  was  not  more  assimilated  to  their  facts.  I  do  not 
know  whether  you  were  struck  with  the  same  peculiarity , 
but,  whenever  I  felt  in  the  mood  to  hear  high  monarchical 
and  aristocratical  doctrines  blindly  promulgated,  I  used  to 
go  to  the  nearest  American  Legation.” 

“  I  have  heard  this  fact  commented  on,”  Eve  answered, 
“  and  even  by  foreigners,  and  I  confess  it  has  always  struck 
me  as  singular.  Why  should  the  agent  of  a  republic  make 
a  parade  of  his  anti-republican  sentiments  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  That  there  are  exceptions,  I  will  allow ;  but,  after  the 
experience  of  many  years,  I  honestly  think  that  such  is  the 
rule.  I  might  distrust  my  own  opinion,  or  my  own  knowl¬ 
edge  ;  but  others,  with  opportunities  equal  to  my  own,  have 
come  to  the  same  conclusion.  I  have  just  received  a  letter 
from  Europe,  complaining  that  an  American  Envoy  Extra¬ 
ordinary,  who  would  as  soon  think  of  denouncing  himself 


Ibome  as  ifounfc 


337 


as  utter  the  same  sentiments  openly  at  home,  has  given  an 
opinion  against  the  utility  of  the  vote  by  ballot ;  and  this, 
too,  under  circumstances  that  might  naturally  be  thought  to 
produce  a  practical  effect.” 

‘  ‘  Tant  pis.  To  me  all  this  is  inexplicable  !  ’  ’ 

“It  has  its  solution,  Miss  Effingham,  like  any  other 
problem.  In  ordinary  times,  extraordinary  men  seldom 
become  prominent,  power  passing  into  the  hands  of  clever 
managers.  Now,  the  very  vanity  and  the  petty  desires, 
that  betray  themselves  in  glittering  uniforms,  puerile  affec¬ 
tations,  and  feeble  imitations  of  other  systems,  probably  in¬ 
duce  more  than  half  of  those  who  fill  the  foreign  missions  to 
apply  for  them,  and  it  is  no  more  than  we  ought  to  expect 
that  the  real  disposition  should  betray  itself,  when  there  was 
no  longer  any  necessity  for  hypocrisy.” 

‘  ‘  But  I  should  think  this  necessity  for  hypocrisy  would 
never  cease  !  Can  it  be  possible  that  a  people,  as  much  at¬ 
tached  to  their  institutions  as  the  great  mass  of  the  American 
nation  is  known  to  be,  will  tolerate  such  a  base  abandonment 
of  all  they  cherish  ?  ”  * 

4  4  How  are  they  to  know  anything  about  it  ?  It  is  a  start¬ 
ling  fact,  that  there  is  a  man  at  this  instant  who  has  not  a 
single  claim  to  such  a  confidence,  either  in  the  way  of  mind, 
principles,  manners,  or  attainments,  filling  a  public  trust 
abroad,  who,  on  all  occasions,  except  those  which  he  thinks 
will  come  directly  before  the  American  people,  not  only  pro¬ 
claims  himself  opposed  to  the  great  principles  of  the  institu¬ 
tions,  but  who,  in  a  recent  controversy  with  a  foreign 
nation,  actually  took  sides  against  his  own  country,  inform¬ 
ing  that  of  the  opposing  nation,  that  the  administration  at 
home  would  not  be  supported  by  the  legislative  part  of  the 
government !  ’  ’ 

4  4  And  why  is  this  not  publicly  exposed  ?  ’  * 

Cui  bono!  The  presses  that  have  no  direct  interest  in  the 

matter  would  treat  the  affair  with  indifference  or  levity, 

while  a  few  would  mystify  the  truth.  It  is  quite  impossible 

for  any  man  in  a  private  station  to  make  the  truth  available  in 

any  country  in  a  matter  of  public  interest ;  and  those  in  public 

stations  seldom  or  never  attempt  it,  unless  they  see  a  direct 
22 


Ibome  as  fomxb 


338 


(party  end  to  be  obtained.  This  is  the  reason  that  we  see  so 
much  infidelit}''  to  the  principles  of  the  institutions,  among  the 
public  agents  abroad,  for  they  very  well  know  that  no  one  will 
be  able  to  expose  them.  In  addition  to  this  motive,  there  is  so 
.strong  a  desire  in  that  portion  of  the  community  which  is 
considered  the  highest,  to  effect  a  radical  change  in  these 
very  institutions,  that  infidelity  to  them,  in  their  eyes,  would 
be  a  merit,  rather  than  an  offence.” 

“  Surely,  surely,  other  nations  are  not  treated  in  this  cav¬ 
alier  manner  !  ’  ’ 

“  Certainly  not.  The  foreign  agent  of  a  prince,  who 
should  whisper  a  syllable  against  his  master,  would  be  re¬ 
called  with  disgrace ;  but  the  servant  of  the  people  is  dif¬ 
ferently  situated,  since  there  are  so  many  to  be  persuaded 
of  his  guilt.  I  could  always  get  along  with  all  the  attacks 
that  the  Europeans  are  so  fond  of  making  on  the  American 
S3^stem,  but  those  which  they  quoted  from  the  mouths  of 
our  own  diplomatic  agents.” 

“  Why  do  not  our  travellers  expose  this  ?  ” 

“  Most  of  them  see  too  little  to  know  anything  of  it. 
They  dine  at  a  diplomatic  table,  see  a  star  or  two,  fancy 
themselves  obliged,  and  puff  elegancies  that  have  no  exist¬ 
ence,  except  in  their  own  brains.  Some  think  with  the 
unfaithful,  and  see  no  harm  in  the  infidelity.  Others  calcu¬ 
late  the  injury  to  themselves,  and  no  small  portion  would 
fancy  it  a  greater  proof  of  patriotism  to  turn  a  sentence  in 
favor  of  the  comparative  ‘  energies  ’  and  ‘  superior  intelli¬ 
gence  ’  of  their  own  people,  than  to  point  out  this  or  any 
other  disgraceful  fact,  did  they  even  possess  the  opportuni¬ 
ties  to  discover  it.  Though  no  one  thinks  more  highly  of 
these  qualities  in  the  Americans,  considered  in  connection 
with  practical  things,  than  myself ;  no  one,  probabty,  gives 
them  less  credit  for  their  ability  to  distinguish  between 
appearances  and  reality,  in  matters  of  principle.” 

“  It  is  probable  that  were  we  nearer  to  the  rest  of  the 
world,  these  abuses  would  not  exist,  for  it  is  certain  that 
they  are  not  so  openly  practised  at  home.  I  am  glad,  how¬ 
ever,  to  find  that,  even  while  you  felt  some  uncertainty 
concerning  your  own  birthplace,  you  took  so  much  inter- 


Ifoome  as  foxxnb 


339 


est  in  us  as  to  identify  yourself  in  feeling,  at  least,  with  the 
nation.” 

‘‘There  was  one  moment  when  I  was  really  afraid  that 
the  truth  would  show  I  was  actually  born  an  Englishman — ” 
‘  ‘  Afraid  !  ’  ’  interrupted  Eve  ;  ‘  ‘  that  is  a  strong  word  to 
apply  to  so  great  and  glorious  a  people.” 

‘‘We  cannot  always  account  for  our  prejudices,  and  per¬ 
haps  this  was  one  of  mine  ;  and  now  that  I  know  that  to 
be  an  Englishman  is  not  the  greatest  possible  merit  in  your 
eyes,  Miss  Effingham,  it  is  in  no  manner  lessened.” 

‘  ‘  In  my  eyes,  Mr.  Powis  !  I  do  not  remember  to  have 
expressed  any  partiality  for  or  any  prejudice  against  the 
English  :  so  far  as  I  can  speak  of  my  own  feelings,  I  re¬ 
gard  the  English  the  same  as  any  other  foreign  people.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  In  words  you  have  not,  certainly  ;  but  acts  speak  louder 
than  words.” 

‘‘You  are  disposed  to  be  mysterious  to-night.  What  act 
of  mine  has  declared  pro  or  co?i  in  this  important  affair  ?  ” 
‘‘You  have  at  least  done  what,  I  fear,  few  of  your  coun¬ 
trywomen  would  have  the  moral  courage  and  self-denial 
to  do,  and  especially  those  who  are  accustomed  to  living 
abroad— refused  to  be  the  wife  of  an  English  baronet  of 
a  good  estate  and  respectable  family.  ’  ’ 

‘‘Mr.  Powis,”  said  Eve,  gravely,  ‘‘this  is  an  injustice  to 
Sir  George  Templemore,  that  my  sense  of  right  will  not 
permit  to  go  uncontradicted,  as  well  as  an  injustice  to  my 
sex  and  me.  As  I  told  Mr.  Howel  in  your  presence,  that 
gentleman  has  never  proposed  for  me,  and  of  course  cannot 
have  been  refused.  Nor  can  I  suppose  that  any  American 
gentlewoman  can  deem  so  paltry  a  thing  as  a  baronetcy,  an 
inducement  to  forget  her  self-respect.” 

“  I  fully  appreciate  your  generous  modesty,  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham  ;  but  you  cannot  expect  that  I,  to  whom  Templemore’s 
admiration  gave  so  much  uneasiness,  not  to  say  pain,  am  to 
understand  you,  as  Mr.  Howel  has  probably  done,  too 
bjoadly.  Although  Sir  George  may  not  have  positively 
proposed,  his  readiness  to  do  so,  on  the  least  encouragement, 
was  too  obvious  to  be  overlooked  by  a  near  observer.  ’  ’ 

Eve  was  ready  to  gasp  for  breath,  so  completely  by  sur- 


340 


Ibotne  as  ffounfc 


prise  was  she  taken  by  the  calm,  earnest,  and  yet  respectful 
manner,  in  which  Paul  confessed  his  jealousy.  There  was 
a  tremor  in  his  voice,  too,  usually  so  clear  and  even,  that 
touched  her  heart,  for  feeling  responds  to  feeling,  as  the 
echo  answers  sound  when  there  exists  a  real  sympathy  be¬ 
tween  the  sexes.  She  felt  the  necessity  of  saying  something, 
and  yet  they  had  walked  some  distance  ere  it  was  in  her 
power  to  utter  a  syllable. 

“  I  fear  my  presumption  has  offended  you,  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham,”  said  Paul,  speaking  more  like  a  corrected  child  than 
the  lion-hearted  young  man  he  had  proved  himself. 

There  was  deep  homage  in  the  emotion  he  betrayed,  and 
Eve,  although  she  could  barely  distinguish  his  features,  was 
not  slow  in  discovering  this  proof  of  the  extent  of  her  power 
over  his  feelings. 

“Do  not  call  it  presumption,”  she  said;  “for  one  who 
has  done  so  much  for  us  all,  can  surely  claim  some  right  to 
take  an  interest  in  those  he  has  so  well  served.  As  for  Sir 
George  Templemore,  you  have  probably  mistaken  the  feel¬ 
ing  created  by  our  common  adventures  for  one  of  more 
importance.  He  is  warmly  and  sincerely  attached  to  my 
cousin,  Grace  Van  Cortlandt.” 

‘  ‘  That  he  is  so  now,  I  fully  believe  ;  but  that  a  very  dif¬ 
ferent  magnet  first  kept  him  from  the  Canadas,  I  am  sure. 
We  treated  each  other  generously,  Miss  Effingham,  and  had 
no  concealments,  during  that  long  and  anxious  night,  when 
all  expected  that  the  day  would  dawn  on  our  captivity. 
Templemore  is  too  manly  and  honest  to  deny  his  former 
desire  to  obtain  you  for  a  wife,  and  I  think  even  he  would 
admit  that  it  depended  entirely  on  jrourself  to  be  so,  or 
not.” 

“  This  is  an  act  of  self-humiliation  that  he  is  not  called  on 
to  perform,”  Eve  hurriedly  replied;  “such  allusions,  now, 
are  worse  than  useless,  and  they  might  pain  my  cousin,  were 
she  to  hear  them.” 

“  I  am  mistaken  in  my  friend’s  character  if  he  leave  his 
betrothed  in  any  doubt  on  this  subject.  Five  minutes  of 
perfect  frankness,  now,  might  obviate  years  of  distrust  here¬ 
after. 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


341 


‘  ‘  And  would  you,  Mr.  Powis,  avow  a  former  weakness 
of  this  sort  to  the  woman  you  had  finally  selected  for  your 
wife  ?  ” 

“  I  ought  not  to  quote  myself  for  authority,  for  or  against 
such  a  course,  since  I  have  never  loved  but  one,  and  her 
with  a  passion  too  single  and  too  ardent  ever  to  admit  of 
competition.  Miss  Effingham,  there  would  be  something 
worse  than  affectation — it  would  be  trifling  with  one  who 
is  sacred  in  my  eyes,  were  I  now  to  refrain  from  speaking 
explicitly,  although  what  I  am  about  to  say  is  forced  from 
me  by  circumstances,  rather  than  voluntary,  and  is  almost 
uttered  without  a  definite  object.  Have  I  your  permission 
to  proceed  ?  ’  ’ 

“  You  can  scarcely  need  a  permission,  being  the  mastei 
of  your  own  secrets,  Mr.  Powis.” 

Paul,  like  all  men  agitated  by  strong  passion,  was  incon¬ 
sistent,  and  far  from  just ;  and  Eve  felt  the  truth  of  this, 
even  while  her  mind  was  ingeniously  framing  excuses  for 
his  weakness.  Still  the  impression  that  she  was  about  to 
listen  to  a  declaration  that  possibly  ought  never  to  be  made, 
weighed  upon  her,  and  caused  her  to  speak  with  more  cold¬ 
ness  than  she  actually  felt.  As  she  continued  silent,  how¬ 
ever,  the  young  man  saw  that  it  had  become  indispensably 
necessary  to  be  explicit. 

I  shall  not  detain  you,  Miss  Effingham,  perhaps  vex 
you,”  he  said,  “  with  the  history  of  those  early  impressions 
which  have  gradually  grown  upon  me,  until  they  have  be¬ 
come  interwoven  with  my  very  existence.  We  met,  as  you 
know,  at  Vienna,  for  the  first  time.  An  Austrian  of  rank, 
to  whom  I  had  become  known  through  some  fortunate  cir¬ 
cumstances,  introduced  me  into  the  best  society  of  that 
capital,  in  which  I  found  you  the  admiration  of  all  who 
knew  you.  My  first  feeling  was  that  of  exultation,  at  see¬ 
ing  a  young  countrywoman — you  were  then  almost  a  child, 
Miss  Effingham — the  greatest  attraction  of  a  capital  cele¬ 
brated  for  the  beauty  and  grace  of  its  women — ’  ’ 

“  Your  national  partialities  have  made  you  an  unjust 
judge  towards  others,  Mr.  Powis,”  Eve  interrupted  him  by 
saying,  though  the  earnestness  and  passion  with  which  the 


tbome  as  ffounb 


342 


young  man  uttered  his  feelings,  made  music  to  her  ears ; 
“what  had  a  young,  frightened,  half-educated  American  girl 
to  boast  of,  when  put  in  competition  with  the  finished 
women  of  Austria  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Her  surpassing  beauty,  her  unconscious  superiority,  her 
attainments,  her  trembling  simplicity  and  modesty,  and  her 
meek  purity  of  mind.  All  these  did  you  possess,  not  only 
in  my  eyes,  but  in  those  of  others  ;  for  these  are  subjects  on 
which  I  dwelt  too  fondly  to  be  mistaken.” 

A  rocket  passed  near  them  at  the  moment,  and  while 
both  were  too  much  occupied  by  the  discourse  to  heed  the 
interruption,  its  transient  light  enabled  Paul  to  see  the 
flushed  cheeks  and  tearful  eyes  of  Eve,  as  the  latter  were 
turned  on  him  in  a  grateful  pleasure,  that  his  ardent  praises 
extorted  from  her,  in  despite  of  all  her  struggles  for  self- 
command. 

“We  will  leave  to  others  this  comparison,  Mr.  Powis,” 
she  said,  “  and  confine  ourselves  to  less  doubtful  .subjects.” 

“  If  I  am  then  to  speak  only  of  that  which  is  beyond  all 
question,  I  shall  speak  chiefly  of  my  long-cherished,  devoted, 
unceasing  love.  I  adored  you  at  Vienna,  Miss  Effingham,  .. 
though  it  was  at  a  distance,  as  one  might  worship  the  sun  ; 
for  while  your  excellent  father  admitted  me  to  his  society, 
and  I  even  think  honored  me  with  some  portion  of  his 
esteem,  I  had  but  little  opportunity  to  ascertain  the  value 
of  the  jewel  that  was  contained  in  so  beautiful  a  casket ; 
but  when  we  met  the  following  summer  in  Switzerland,  I 
first  began  truly  to  love.  Then  I  learned  the  justness  of 
thought,  the  beautiful  candor,  the  perfectly  feminine  deli¬ 
cacy  of  your  mind  ;  and,  although  I  will  not  say  that  these 
qualities  were  not  enhanced  in  the  eyes  of  so  young  a  man, 
by  the  extreme  beauty  of  their  possessor,  I  will  say  that  as 
weighed  against  each  other,  I  could  a  thousand  times  prefer 
the  former  to  the  latter,  unequalled  as  the  latter  almost  is 
even  among  your  own  beautiful  sex.” 

“This  is  presenting  flattery  in  its  most  seductive  form, 
Powis.” 

“  Perhaps  my  incoherent  and  abrupt  manner  of  explain¬ 
ing  myself  deserves  a  rebuke ;  though  nothing  can  be 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


343 


further  from  my  intentions  than  to  seem  to  flatter,  or  in 
any  manner  to  exaggerate.  I  intend  merely  to  give  a  faith¬ 
ful  history  of  the  state  of  my  feelings,  and  of  the  progress 
of  my  love.” 

Eve  smiled  faintly,  but  sweetly,  as  Paul  would  have 
thought,  had  the  obscurity  permitted  more  than  a  dim  view 
of  her  lovely  countenance. 

“Ought  I  to  listen  to  such  praises,  Mr.  Powis,”  she 
asked  ;  ‘  ‘  praises  which  only  contribute  to  a  self-esteem  that 
is  too  great  already  ?  ’  ’ 

No  one  but  yourself  would  say  this  ;  but  your  question 
does,  indeed,  remind  me  of  the  indiscretion  that  I  have 
fallen  into,  by  losing  that  command  of  my  feelings  in  which 
I  have  so  long  exulted.  No  man  should  make  a  woman  the 
confidante  of  his  attachment,  until  he  is  fully  prepared  to 
accompany  the  declaration  with  an  offer  of  his  hand — and 
such  is  not  my  condition.” 

Eve  made  no  dramatic  start,  assumed  no  look  of  affected 
surprise  or  of  wounded  dignity  ;  but  she  turned  on  her 
lover  her  serene  eyes,  with  an  expression  of  concern  so 
eloquent,  and  of  a  wonder  so  natural,  that  could  he  have 
seen  it,  it  would  probably  have  overcome  every  difficulty  on 
the  spot,  and  produced  the  usual  offer,  notwithstanding  the 
obstacle  that  he  seemed  to  think  insurmountable. 

“  And  yet,”  he  continued,  “  I  have  now  said  so  much,  in¬ 
voluntarily  as  it  has  been,  that  I  feel  it  not  only  due  to  you, 
but  in  some  measure  to  myself,  to  add  that  the  fondest  wish 
of  my  heart,  the  end  and  aim  of  all  my  day-dreams,  as  well 
as  of  my  most  sober  thoughts  of  the  future,  centre  in  the 
common  wish  to  obtain  you  for  a  wife.” 

The  eye  of  Eve  fell,  and  the  expression  of  her  countenance 
changed,  while  a  slight  but  uncontrollable  tremor  ran 
through  her  frame.  After  a  short  pause  she  summoned  all 
her  resolution,  and  in  a  voice,  the  firmness  of  which  sur¬ 
prised  even  herself,  she  asked, — 

Powis,  to  what  does  all  this  tend  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Well  may  you  ask  that  question,  Miss  Effingham  !  You 
have  every  right  to  put  it,  and  the  answer,  at  least,  shall  add 
no  further  cause  of  self-reproach.  Give  me,  I  entreat  you, 


344 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


but  a  minute  to  collect  my  thoughts,  and  I  will  endeavor  to 
acquit  myself  of  an  imperious  duty,  in  a  manner  more  manly 
and  coherent  than,  I  fear,  has  been  observed  for  the  last  ten 
minutes.” 

They  walked  a  short  distance  in  profound  silence,  Eve 
still  under  the  influence  of  astonishment,  in  which  an  uncer¬ 
tain  and  indefinite  dread  of  she  scarce  knew  what,  began  to 
mingle  ;  and  Paul,  endeavoring  to  quiet  the  tumult  that 
had  been  so  suddenly  aroused  within  him.  The  latter  then 
spoke  : — 

Circumstances  have  always  deprived  me  of  the  happi¬ 
ness  of  experiencing  the  tenderness  and  sympathy  of  your 
sex,  Miss  Effingham,  and  have  thrown  me  more  exclusively 
among  the  colder  and  ruder  spirits  of  my  own.  My  mother 
died  at  the  time  of  my  birth,  thus  cutting  me  off  at  once 
from  one  of  the  dearest  of  earthly  ties.  I  am  not  certain 
that  I  do  not  exaggerate  the  loss  in  consequence  of  the 
privations  I  have  suffered  ;  but  from  the  hour  when  I  first 
learned  to  feel,  I  have  had  a  yearning  for  the  tender,  patient, 
endearing,  disinterested  love  of  a  mother.  You,  too,  suffered 
a  similar  loss,  at  an  early  period,  if  I  have  been  correctly 
informed — ” 

A  sob — a  stifled,  but  painful  sob — escaped  Eve ;  and 
inexpressibly  shocked,  Paul  ceased  dwelling  on  his  own 
sources  of  sorrow,  to  attend  to  those  he  had  so  unintentionally 
disturbed. 

‘‘I  have  been  selfish,  dearest  Miss  Effingham,”  he  ex¬ 
claimed — ‘  ‘  have  overtaxed  your  patience — have  annoyed  you 
with  griefs  and  losses  that  have  no  interest  for  you,  which  can 
have  no  interest,  with  one  happy  and  blessed  as  yourself.” 

“  No,  no,  no,  Powis — you  are  unjust  to  both.  I,  too,  lost 
my  mother  when  a  mere  child,  and  never  knew  her  love 
and  tenderness.  Proceed  ;  I  am  calmer,  and  earnestly  entreat 
you  to  forget  my  weakness,  and  to  proceed.” 

Paul  did  proceed,  but  this  brief  interruption  in  which  they 
had  mingled  their  sorrows  for  a  common  misfortune,  struck 
a  new  chord  of  feeling,  and  removed  a  mountain  of  reserve 
and  distance,  that  might  otherwise  have  obstructed  their 
growing  confidence. 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


345 


Cut  off  in  this  manner  from  my  nearest  and  dearest 
natural  friend,”  Paul  continued,  “  I  was  thrown,  an  infant, 
into  the  care  of  hirelings  ;  and  in  this,  at  least,  my  fortune  was 
still  more  cruel  than  your  own  ;  for  the  excellent  woman 
who  has  been  so  happy  as  to  have  had  the  charge  of  your  in¬ 
fancy,  had  nearly  the  love  of  a  natural  mother,  however  she 
may  have  been  wanting  in  the  attainments  of  one  of  your  own 
condition  in  life.” 

“But  we  had  both  of  us  our  fathers,  Mr.  Powis.  To 
me,  my  excellent,  high-principled,  affectionate — nay,  tender 
father,  has  been  everything.  Without  him,  I  should  have 
been  truly  miserable ;  and  with  him,  notwithstanding  these 
rebellious  tears  tears  that  I  must  ascribe  to  the  infection 
of  your  own  grief— I  have  been  truly  blest.” 

Mr.  Effingham  deserves  this  from  you,  but  I  never  knew 
my  father,  you  will  remember.  ’  ’ 

I  am  an  unworthy  confidante,  to  have  forgotten  this  so 
soon.  Poor  Powis,  you  were,  indeed,  unhappy  !  ” 

“He  had  parted  from  my  mother  before  my  birth,  and 
either  died  soon  after,  or  has  never  deemed  his  child  of 
sufficient  worth  to  make  him  the  subject  of  interest  sufficient 
to  excite  a  single  inquiry  into  his  fate.” 

“Then  he  never  knew  that  child!”  burst  from  Eve, 
with  a  fervor  and  frankness  that  set  all  reserves,  whether 
of  womanly  training  or  of  natural  timidity,  at  defiance. 

“Miss  Effingham  !  —  dearest  Miss  Effingham— Eve, 
my  own  Eve—  what  am  I  to  infer  from  this  generous 
warmth  !  Do  not  mislead  me  !  I  can  bear  my  solitary 
misery,  can  brave  the  sufferings  of  an  isolated  existence  \ 
but  I  could  not  live  under  the  disappointments  of  such  a 

hope,  a  hope  fairly  quickened  by  a  clear  expression  from 
your  lips.” 

You  teach  me  the  importance  of  caution,  Powis,  and 
we  will  now  return  to  your  history,  and  to  that  confidence 
of  which  I  shall  not  again  prove  a  faithless  repository. 

For  the  present  at  least,  I  beg  that  you  will  forget  all 
else.  ’  ’ 

A  command  so  kindly — so  encouragingly  given — do 
I  offend,  dearest  Miss  Effingham  ?  ’  ’  Eve,  for  the  second 


34^ 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


time  in  her  life,  placed  her  own  light  arm  and  beautiful  hand 
through  the  arm  of  Paul,  discovering  a  bewitching  but 
modest  reliance  on  his  worth  and  truth,  by  the  very  manner 
in  which  she  did  this  simple  and  every-day  act,  while  she 
said  more  cheerfully, — 

“  You  forget  the  substance  of  the  command,  at  the  very 
moment  you  would  have  me  suppose  you  most  disposed  to 
obey  it.” 

“  Well,  then,  Miss  Effingham,  you  shall  be  more  implicitly 
minded.  Why  my  father  left  my  mother  so  soon  after  their 
union,  I  never  knew.  It  would  seem  that  they  lived 
together  but  a  few  months,  though  I  have  the  proud  con¬ 
solation  of  knowing  that  my  mother  was  blameless.  For 
years  I  suffered  the  misery  of  doubt  on  a  point  that  is  ever 
the  most  tender  with  man — a  distrust  of  his  own  mother  ; 
but  all  this  has  been  happily,  blessedly  cleared  up,  during 
my  late  visit  to  England.  It  is  true  that  Eady  Dunluce 
was  my  mother’s  sister,  and  as  such  might  have  been  lenient 
to  her  failings  ;  but  a  letter  from  my  father, that  was  written 
only  a  month  before  my  mother’s  death,  leaves  no  doubt 
not  only  of  her  blamelessness  as  a  wife,  but  bears  ample 
testimony  to  the  sweetness  of  her  disposition.  This  letter 
is  a  precious  document  for  a  son  to  possess,  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham  !  ” 

Eve  made  no  answer ;  but  Paul  fancied  that  he  felt 
another  gentle  pressure  of  the  hand,  which,  until  then,  had 
rested  so  lightly  on  his  own  arm,  that  he  scarcely  dared  to 
move  the  latter,  lest  he  might  lose  the  precious  consciousness 
of  its  presence. 

“  I  have  other  letters  from  my  father  to  my  mother,”  the 
young  man  continued,  “  but  none  that  are  so  cheering  to 
my  heart  as  this.  From  their  general  tone,  I  cannot  per¬ 
suade  myself  that  he  ever  truly  loved  her.  It  is  a  cruel 
thing,  Miss  Effingham,  for  a  man  to  deceive  a  woman  on  a 
point  like  that !  ” 

“Cruel,  indeed,”  said  Eve,  firmly.  “Death  itself  were 
preferable  to  such  a  delusion.” 

“  I  think  my  father  deceived  himself  as  well  as  my  mother  ; 
for  there  is  a  strange  incoherence  and  a  want  of  distinctness 


t)ome  as  jfounb 


347 


In  some  of  his  letters,  that  caused  feelings,  keen  as  mine 
naturally  were  on  such  a  subject,  to  distrust  his  affection  from 
the  first.  ’  * 

“  Was  your  mother  rich  ?  ”  Eve  asked  innocently  ;  for, 
an  heiress  herself,  her  vigilance  had  early  been  directed  to 
that  great  motive  of  deception  and  dishonesty. 

“  Not  in  the  least.  She  had  little  besides  her  high  line¬ 
age,  and  her  beauty.  I  have  her  picture,  which  sufficiently 
proves  the  latter ;  had,  I  ought  rather  to  say,  for  it  was  her 
miniature  of  which  I  was  robbed  by  the  Arabs,  as  you  may 
remember,  and  I  have  not  seen  it  since.  In  the  way  of 
money,  my  mother  had  barely  the  competency  of  a  gentle¬ 
woman  ;  nothing  more.” 

The  pressure  on  Paul  was  more  palpable,  as  he  spoke 
of  the  miniature  ;  and  he  ventured  to  touch  his  companion’s 
arm,  in  order  to  give  it  a  surer  hold  of  his  own. 

Mr.  Powis  was  not  mercenary,  then,  and  it  is  a  great 
deal,”  said  Eve,  speaking  as  if  she  was  scarcely  conscious 
that  she  spoke  at  all. 

“  Mr.  Powis  !  He  was  everything  that  was  noble  and 
disinterested.  A  more  generous,  or  a  less  selfish  man,  never 
existed,  than  Francis  Powis.” 

*  *  I  thought  you  never  knew  your  father  personally  !  ’  ’  ex¬ 
claimed  Eve  in  surprise. 

”  Nor  did  I.  But  you  are  in  error,  supposing  that  my 
father’s  name  was  Powis,  when  it  was  Assheton.” 

Paul  then  explained  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been 
adopted  while  still  a  child,  by  a  gentleman  called  Powis, 
whose  name  he  had  taken,  on  finding- himself  deserted  by 
his  own  natural  parent,  and  to  whose  fortune  he  had  suc¬ 
ceeded,  on  the  death  of  his  voluntary  protector. 

‘  ‘  I  bore  the  name  of  Assheton  until  Mr.  Powis  took  me 
to  France,  when  he  advised  me  to  assume  his  own,  which  I 
did  the  more  readily,  as  he  thought  he  had  ascertained  that 
my  father  was  dead,  and  that  he  had  bequeathed  the  whole 
of  a  very  considerable  estate  to  his  nephews  and  nieces, 
making  no  allusion  to  me  in  his  will,  and  seemingly  anxious 
even  to  deny  his  marriage  ;  at  least  he  passed  among  his 
acquaintances  for  a  bachelor  to  his  dying  day.” 


348 


Ibonte  as  jfounb 


‘  ‘  There  is  something  so  unusual  and  inexplicable  in  all 
this,  Mr.  Powis,  that  it  strikes  me  you  have  been  to  blame 
in  not  inquiring  more  closely  into  the  circumstances  than, 
by  your  own  account,  I  should  think  had  been  done.” 

“  For  a  long  time,  for  many  bitter  years,  I  was  afraid  to 
inquire,  lest  I  should  learn  something  injurious  to  a  mother’s 
name.  Then  there  was  the  arduous  and  confined  service  of 
my  profession,  which  kept  me  in  distant  seas  ;  and  the  last 
journey  and  painful  indisposition  of  my  excellent  benefactor, 
prevented  even  the  wish  to  inquire  after  my  own  family. 
The  offended  pride  of  Mr.  Powis,  who  was  justly  hurt  at  the 
cavalier  manner  in  which  my  father’s  relatives  met  his 
advances,  aided  in  alienating  me  from  that  portion  of  my 
relatives,  and  put  a  stop  to  all  additional  proffers  of  inter¬ 
course  from  me.  They  even  affected  to  doubt  the  fact  that 
my  father  had  ever  married.” 

“  But  of  that  you  had  proof?  ”  Eve  earnestly  asked. 

“Unanswerable.  My  aunt  Dunluce  was  present  at  the 
ceremony,  and  I  possess  the  certificate  given  to  my  mother 
by  the  clergyman  who  officiated.  Is  it  not  strange,  Miss 
Effingham,  that  with  all  these  circumstances  in  favor  of  my 
legitimacy,  even  Eady  Dunluce  and  her  family,  until  lately, 
had  doubts  of  the  fact  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  That  is  indeed  unaccountable,  your  aunt  having  wit¬ 
nessed  the  ceremony.” 

‘  ‘  Very  true  ;  but  some  circumstances,  a  little  aided  perhaps 
by  the  strong  desire  of  her  husband,  General  Ducie,  to  obtain 
the  revival  of  a  barony  that  was  in  abeyance,  and  of  which 
she  would  be  the  only  heir,  assuming  that  my  rights  were 
invalid,  inclined  her  to  believe  that  my  father  was  already 
married,  when  he  entered  into  the  solemn  contract  with  my 
mother.  But  from  that  curse,  too,  I  have  been  happily 
relieved.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Poor  Powis  !  ’  ’  said  Eve,  with  a  sympathy  that  her  voice 
expressed  more  clearly  even  than  her  words  ;  1  ‘  you  have, 
indeed,  suffered  cruelly,  for  one  so  }roung.” 

“  I  have  learned  to  bear  it,  dearest  Miss  Effingham,  and 
have  stood  so  long  a  solitary  and  isolated  being  ;  one  in 
whom  none  have  taken  any  interest  — ’  ’ 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


349 


“Nay,  say  not  that;  we,  at  least,  have  always  felt  an 
interest  in  you — have  always  esteemed  you,  and  now  have 
learned  to — ” 

“  Learned  to — ” 

“  Love  you,”  said  Eve,  with  a  steadiness  that  afterwards 
astonished  herself;  but  she  felt  that  a  being  so  placed  was  en¬ 
titled  to  be  treated  with  a  frankness  different  from  the  reserve 
that  it  is  usual  for  her  sex  to  observe  on  similar  occasions. 

“  Love  !  ”  cried  Paul,  dropping  her  arm.  “  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham  ! — Eve — but  that  we  I” 

“  I  mean  my  dear  father — cousin  Jack — myself.” 

“Such  a  feeling  will  not  heal  a  wound  like  mine.  A  love 
that  is  shared  with  even  such  men  as  your  excellent  father 
and  your  worthy  cousin  will  not  make  me  happy.  But  why 
.should  I,  unowned,  bearing  a  name  to  which  I  have  no  legal 
title,  and  virtually  without  relatives,  aspire  to  one  like  you  !  ’  ’ 

The  windings  of  the  path  had  brought  them  near  a  win¬ 
dow  of  the  house,  whence  a  stream  of  strong  light  gleamed 
upon  the  sweet  countenance  of  Eve,  as  raising  her  eyes  to 
those  of  her  companion,  with  a  face  bathed  in  tears,  and 
flushed  with  natural  feeling  and  modesty,  the  struggle 
between  which  even  heightened  her  loveliness,  she  smiled  an 
encouragement  that  it  was  impossible  to  misconstrue. 

Can  I  believe  my  senses  !  Will  you — do  you — can  you 
listen  to  the  suit  of  one  like  me  ?  ”  the  young  man  exclaimed, 
as  he  hurried  his  companion  past  the  window,  lest  some 
interruption  might  destroy  his  hopes. 

‘  ‘  Is  there  any  sufficient  reason  why  I  should  not,  Powis  ?  ’  ’ 
Nothing  but  my  unfortunate  situation  in  respect  to  my 
family,  my  comparative  poverty,  and  my  general  unworthi¬ 
ness.  ’  ’ 

“  Your  unfortunate  situation  in  respect  to  your  relatives 
would,  if  anything,  be  a  new  and  dearer  tie  with  us  ;  your 
comparative  poverty  is  merely  comparative,  and  can  be  of 
no  account,  where  there  is  sufficient  already  ;  and  as  for 
your  general  unworthiness,  I  fear  it  will  find  more  than  an 
offset  in  that  of  the  girl  you  have  so  rashly  chosen  from  the 
rest  of  the  world.” 

“Eve— dearest  Eve,”  said  Paul,  seizing  both  her  hands, 


35° 


Iborne  as  ffounfc 


and  stopping  her  at  the  entrance  of  some  shrubbery  that 
densely  shaded  the  path,  and  where  the  little  light  that  fell 
from  the  stars  enabled  him  still  to  trace  her  features,  ‘  ‘  you 
will  not  leave  me  in  doubt  on  a  subject  of  this  nature — am  I 
really  so  blessed  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  If  accepting  the  faith  and  affection  of  a  heart  that  is 
wholly  yours,  Powis,  can  make  you  happy,  your  sorrows 
will  be  at  an  end — ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  But  your  father  ?  ’  ’  said  the  young  man,  almost  breath¬ 
less  in  his  eagerness  to  know  all. 

“  Is  here  to  confirm  what  his  daughter  has  just  declared,” 
said  Mr.  Effingham,  coming  out  of  the  shrubbery  beyond 
them,  and  laying  a  hand  kindly  on  Paul’s  shoulder.  “  To 
find  that  you  so  well  understand  each  other,  Powis,  removes 
from  my  mind  one  of  the  greatest  anxieties  I  have  ever  ex¬ 
perienced.  My  cousin  John,  as  he  was  bound  to  do,  has 
made  me  acquainted  with  all  you  have  told  him  of  your 
past  life,  and  there  remains  nothing  further  to  be  revealed. 
We  have  known  you  for  years,  and  receive  you  into  our 
family  with  as  free  a  welcome  as  we  could  receive  any  pre¬ 
cious  boon  from  Providence.” 

“Mr.  Effingham  !— dear  sir,”  said  Paul,  almost  gasping 
between  surprise  and  rapture,  “this  is  indeed  beyond  all 
my  hopes  ;  and  this  generous  frankness,  too,  in  ytfur  lovely 
daughter — ’  ’ 

Paul’s  hands  had  been  transferred  to  those  of  the  father, 
he  knew  not  how ;  but  releasing  them  hurriedly,  he  now 
turned  in  quest  of  Eve  again,  and  found  she  had  fled.  In 
the  short  interval  between  the  address  of  her  father  and  the 
words  of  Paul  she  had  found  means  to  disappear,  leaving 
the  gentlemen  together.  The  young  man  would  have  fol¬ 
lowed,  but  the  cooler  head  of  Mr.  Effingham  perceiving  that 
the  occasion  was  favorable  to  a  private  conversation  with 
his  accepted  son-in-law,  and  quite  as  unfavorable  to  one,  or 
at  least  to  a  very  rational  one,  between  the  lovers,  he 
quietly  took  the  young  man’s  arm,  and  led  him  towards  a 
more  private  walk.  There  half  an  hour  of  confidential 
discourse  calmed  the  feelings  of  both,  and  rendered  Paul 
Powis  one  of  the  happiest  of  human  beings. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


“  You  shall  do  marvellous  wisely,  good  Reynaldo, 

Before  you  visit  him,  to  make  inquiry 
Of  his  behavior.” 

Hamlet. 

ANN  SIDNEY  was  engaged  among  the  dresses  of 
Eve,  as  she  loved  to  be,  although  Annette  held 
her  taste  in  too  low  estimation  ever  to  permit 
her  to  apply  a  needle,  or  even  to  fit  a  robe  to  the 
beautiful  form  that  was  to  wear  it,  when  our  heroine  glided 
into  the  room,  and  sank  upon  a  sofa.  Eve  was  too  much 
absorbed  with  her  own  feelings  to  observe  the  presence  of 
her  quiet,  unobtrusive  old  nurse,  and  too  much  accustomed 
to  her  care  and  sympathy  to  heed  it,  had  it  been  seen.  For 
a  moment  she  remained,  her  face  still  suffused  with  blushes, 
her  hands  lying  before  her  folded,  her  eyes  fixed  on  the 

ceiling,  and  then  the  pent  emotions  found  an  outlet  in  a 
flood  of  tears. 

Poor  Ann  could  not  have  felt  more  shocked  had  she  heard 
of  any  unexpected  calamity,  than  she  was  at  this  sudden 
outbreaking  of  feeling  in  her  child.  She  went  to  her,  and 
bent  over  her  with  the  solicitude  of  a  mother,  as  she  in¬ 
quired  into  the  causes  of  her  apparent  sorrow. 

Tell  me,  Miss  Eve,  and  it  will  relieve  your  mind,”  said 
the  faithful  woman;  “  your  dear  mother  had  such  feelings 
sometimes,  and  I  never  dared  to  question  her  about  them  ; 
but  you  are  my  own  child,  and  nothing  can  grieve  you 
without  grieving  me.” 

The  eyes  of  Eve  were  brilliant,  her  face  continued  to  be 
suffused,  and  the  smile  which  she  gave  through  her  tears  was 
so  bright,  as  to  leave  her  poor  attendant  in  deep  perplexity 


352 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


as  to  the  cause  of  a  gush  of  feeling  that  was  very  unusual 
in  one  of  the  other’s  regulated  mind. 

“  It  is  not  grief,  dear  Nanny,” — Eve  at  length  murmured 
—  ‘‘anything  but  that  !  I  am  not  unhappy.  Oh  !  no  ;  as 
far  from  unhappiness  as  possible.” 

“  God  be  praised  it  is  so,  ma’am  !  I  was  afraid  that  this 
affair  of  the  English  gentleman  and  Miss  Grace  might  not 
prove  agreeable  to  you,  for  he  has  not  behaved  as  hand¬ 
somely  as  he  might,  in  that  transaction.” 

“  And  why  not,  my  poor  Nanny  ?  I  have  neither  claim, 
nor  the  wish  to  possess  a  claim,  on  Sir  George  Templemore. 
His  selection  of  my  cousin  has  given  me  sincere  satisfaction, 
rather  than  pain  ;  were  he  a  countryman  of  our  own,  I 
should  say  unalloyed  satisfaction,  for  I  firmly  believe  he  will 
strive  to  make  her  happy.” 

Nanny  now  looked  at  her  young  mistress,  than  at  the 
floor ;  at  her  young  mistress  again,  and  afterwards  at  a 
rocket  that  was  sailing  athwart  the  sky.  Her  eyes,  how¬ 
ever,  returned  to  those  of  Eve,  and  encouraged  by  the 
bright  beam  of  happiness  that  was  glowing  in  the  counte¬ 
nance  she  so  much  loved,  she  ventured  to  say, — 

“If  Mr.  Powis  were  a  more  presuming  gentleman  than 
he  is,  ma’am — ” 

“You  mean  a  less  modest,  Nanny,”  said  Eve,  perceiving 
that  her  nurse  paused. 

“  Yes,  ma’am — one  that  thought  more  of  himself,  and 
less  of  other  people,  is  what  I  wish  to  say.” 

‘  ‘  And  were  this  the  case  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  might  think  he  would  find  the  heart  to  say  what  I 
know  he  feels.” 

“  And  did  he  find  the  heart  to  say  what  you  know  he 
feels,  what  does  Ann  Sidley  think  should  be  my  answer  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Oh,  ma’am,  I  know  it  would  be  just  as  it  ought  to  be. 
I  cannot  repeat  what  ladies  say  on  such  occasions,  but  I 
know  that  it  is  what  makes  the  hearts  of  the  gentlemen 
leap  for  joy.” 

There  are  occasions  in  which  woman  can  hardly  dispense 
with  the  sympathy  of  woman.  Eve  loved  her  father  most 
tenderly  ;  had  more  than  the  usual  confidence  in  him,  for  she 


Ibome  as  ffounD 


353 


had  never  known  a  mother  ;  but  had  the  present  conversa¬ 
tion  been  with  him,  notwithstanding  all  her  reliance  on  his 
affection,  her  nature  would  have  shrunk  from  pouring  out 
her  feelings  as  freely  as  she  might  have  done  with  her  other 
parent,  had  not  death  deprived  her  of  such  a  blessing.  Be¬ 
tween  our  heroine  and  Ann  Sidley,  on  the  other  hand,  there 
existed  a  confidence  of  a  nature  so  peculiar,  as  to  require  a 
word  of  explanation  before  we  exhibit  its  effects.  In  all 
that  related  to  physical  wants,  Ann  had  been  a  mother,  or 
even  more  than  a  mother,  to  Eve,  and  this  alone  had  induced 
great  personal  dependence  in  the  one,  and  a  sort  of  super¬ 
visory  care  in  the  other,  that  had  brought  her  to  fancy  she 
was  responsible  for  the  bodily  health  and  well-doing  of  her 
charge.  But  this  was  not  all.  Nanny  had  been  the  reposi¬ 
tory  of  Eve’s  childish  griefs,  the  confidante  of  her  girlish 
secrets  ;  and  though  the  years  of  the  latter  soon  caused  her 
to  be  placed  under  the  management  of  those  who  were 
better  qualified  to  store  her  mind,  this  communication  never 
ceased  ;  the  high-toned  and  educated  young  woman  revert¬ 
ing  with  unabated  affection,  and  reliance  that  nothing 
could  shake,  to  the  long-tried  tenderness  of  the  being  who 
had  watched  over  her  infancy.  The  effect  of  such  an  inti¬ 
macy  was  often  amusing  ;  the  one  party  bringing  to  the 
conferences  a  mind  filled  with  the  knowledge  suited  to  her 
sex  and  station,  habits  that  had  been  formed  in  the  best  cir¬ 
cles  of  Christendom,  and  tastes  that  had  been  acquired  in 
schools  of  high  reputation  ;  and  the  other,  little  more  than  her 
single-hearted  love,  a  fidelity  that  ennobled  her  nature,  and 
a  simplicity  that  betokened  perfect  purity  of  thought.  Nor 
was  this  extraordinary  confidence  without  its  advantages  to 
Eve  ;  for,  thrown  so  early  among  the  artificial  and  calculat¬ 
ing,  it  served  to  keep  her  own  ingenuousness  of  character 
active,  and  prevented  that  cold,  selfish,  and  unattractive 
sophistication,  that  mere  women  of  fashion  are  apt  to  fall 
into,  from  their  isolated  and  factitious  mode  of  existence. 
When  Eve,  therefore,  put  the  questions  to  her  nurse  that 
have  already  been  mentioned,  it  was  more  with  a  real 
wish  to  know  how  the  latter  would  view  a  choice  on 
which  her  own  mind  was  so  fully  made  up,  than  any  silly 


354 


Ibome  as  fount* 


trifling  on  a  subject  that  engrossed  so  much  of  her  best 
affections. 

“  But  you  have  not  told  me,  dear  Nanny,”  she  continued, 
“  what  you  would  have  that  answer  be.  Ought  I,  for  in¬ 
stance,  ever  to  quit  my  beloved  father  ?  ’  ’ 

“  What  necessity  would  there  be  for  that,  ma’am?  Mr. 
Powis  has  no  home  of  his  own  ;  and,  for  that  matter, 
.scarcely  any  country — ’  ’ 

“How  can  you  know  this,  Nanny?”  demanded  Eve, 
with  the  jealous  sensitiveness  of  a  young  love. 

“Why,  Miss  Eve,  his  man  says  this  much,  and  he  has 
lived  with  him  long  enough  to  know  it,  if  he  had  a  home. 
Now,  I  seldom  sleep  without  looking  back  at  the  day,  and 
often  have  my  thoughts  turned  to  Sir  George  Templemore 
and  Mr.  Powis  ;  and  when  I  have  remembered  that  the  first 
had  a  house  and  a  home,  and  that  the  last  had  neither,  it 
has  always  seemed  to  me  that  he  ought  to  be  the  one.” 

“And  then,  in  all  this  matter,  you  have  thought  of  con¬ 
venience,  and  what  might  be  agreeable  to  others,  rather 
than  of  me.” 

“Miss  Eve!” 

“Nay,  dearest  Nanny,  forgive  me;  I  know  your  last 
thought,  in  everything,  is  for  yourself.  But,  surely,  the 
mere  circumstance  that  he  had  no  home,  ought  not  to  be  a 
sufficient  reason  for  selecting  any  man  for  a  husband.  With 
most  women  it  would  be  an  objection.” 

“  I  pretend  to  know  very  little  of  these  feelings,  Miss  Eve. 
I  have  been  wooed,  I  acknowledge  ;  and  once  I  do  think  I 
might  have  been  tempted  to  marry,  had  it  not  been  for  a 
particular  circumstance.  ’  ’ 

“You!  You  marry,  Ann  Sidley  !  ”  exclaimed  Eve,  to 
whom  the  bare  idea  seemed  as  odd  and  unnatural  as  that 
her  own  father  should  forget  her  mother  and  take  a  second 
wife.  “This  is  altogether  new,  and  I  should  be  glad  to 
know  what  the  lucky  circumstance  was,  which  prevented 
what,  to  me,  might  have  proved  a  great  calamity.” 

“Why,  ma’am,  I  said  to  myself,  what  does  a  woman  do 
who  marries  !  She  vows  to  quit  all  else  to  go  with  her 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


355 


husband,  and  to  love  him  before  father  and  mother,  and  all 
other  living  beings  on  earth— is  it  not  so,  Miss  Eve  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  believe  it  is  so,  indeed,  Nanny  ;  nay,  I  am  quite  cer¬ 
tain  it  is  so,”  Eve  answered,  the  color  deepening  on  her 
cheek,  as  she  gave  this  opinion  to  her  old  nurse,  with  her 
inward  consciousness  that  she  had  just  experienced  some  of 
the  happiest  moments  of  her  life,  through  the  admission  of 
a  passion  that  thus  overshadowed  all  the  natural  affections. 
“  It  is,  truly,  as  you  say.” 

“Well,  ma’am,  I  investigated  my  feelings,  I  believe  they 
call  it,  and  after  a  proper  trial,  I  found  that  I  loved  you  so 
much  better  than  any  one  else,  that  I  could  not,  in  con¬ 
science,  make  the  vows.” 

“Dearest  Nanny  !  my  kind,  good,  faithful  old  nurse  !  let 
me  hold  you  in  my  arms  ;  and  I,  selfish,  thoughtless,  heart¬ 
less  girl,  would  forget  the  circumstance  that  would  be  most 
likely  to  keep  us  together,  for  the  remainder  of  our  lives  ! 
Hist  !  there  is  a  tap  at  the  door.  It  is  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ;  I 
know  her  light  step.  Admit  her,  my  kind  Ann,  and  leave 
us  together.” 

The  bright,  searching  eye  of  Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  riveted 
on  her  young  friend,  as  she  advanced  into  the  room  ;  and 
her  smile,  usually  so  gay  and  sometimes  ironical,  was  now 
thoughtful  and  kind. 

“  Well,  Miss  Effingham,”  she  cried,  in  a  manner  that  her 
looks  contradicted,  “am  I  to  condole  with  you,  or  to  con¬ 
gratulate  ?  For  a  more  sudden  or  miraculous  change  did  I 
never  before  witness  in  a  young  lady,  though  whether  it  be 
for  the  better  or  the  worse —  These  are  ominous  words,  too 
— for  ‘  better  or  worse,  for  richer  or  poorer  ’ — ” 

You  are  in  fine  spirits  this  evening,  my  dear  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  and  appear  to  have  entered  into  the  gayeties  of 
the  ‘  Fun  of  Fire  ’  with  all  your — ’  ’ 

“  Might,  will  be  a  homely  but  an  expressive  word.  Your 
lempleton  ‘  Fun  of  Fire  ’  is  fiery  fun,  for  it  has  cost  us  some¬ 
thing  like  a  general  conflagration.  Mrs.  Hawker  has  been 
near  a  downfall,  like  your  great  namesake,  by  a  serpent’s 
coming  too  near  her  dress  :  one  barn,  I  hear,  has  actually 


356 


Ibcme  as  jfounfc 


been  in  a  blaze,  and  Sir  George  Tempi emore’s  heart  is  in 
cinders.  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  been  telling  me  that  he 
should  not  have  been  a  bachelor  had  there  been  two  Mrs. 
Bloomfields  in  the  world,  and  Mr.  Powis  looks  like  a  rafter 
dug  out  of  Herculaneum,  nothing  but  coal.” 

“And  what  occasions  this  pleasantry?”  asked  Eve,  so 
composed  in  manner  that  her  friend  was  momentarily  de¬ 
ceived. 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  took  a  seat  on  the  sofa,  by  the  side  of 
our  heroine,  and  regarding  her  steadily  for  near  a  minute, 
she  continued, — 

‘  ‘  Hypocrisy  and  Eve  Effingham  can  have  little  in  com¬ 
mon,  and  my  ears  must  have  deceived  me.” 

“  Your  ears,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield  !  ” 

“  My  ears,  dear  Miss  Effingham.  I  very  well  know  the 
character  of  an  eavesdropper,  but  if  gentlemen  will  make 
passionate  declarations  in  the  walks  of  a  garden,  with  noth¬ 
ing  but  a  little  shrubbery  between  their  ardent  declarations 
and  the  curiosity  of  those  who  may  happen  to  be  passing, 
they  must  expect  to  be  overheard.” 

Eve’s  color  had  gradually  increased  as  her  friend  pro¬ 
ceeded,  and  when  the  other  ceased  speaking,  as  bright  a 
bloom  glowed  on  her  countenance  as  had  shone  there  when 
she  first  entered  the  room. 

“  May  I  ask  the  meaning  of  all  this?  ”  she  said,  with  an 
effort  to  appear  calm. 

“  Certainly,  my  dear;  and  you  shall  also  know  the  feel¬ 
ings  that  prompt  it,  as  well  as  the  meaning,”  returned  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  kindty  taking  Eve’s  hand  in  a  way  to  show 
that  she  did  not  mean  to  trifle  further  on  a  subject  that 
was  of  so  much  moment  to  her  young  friend.  “  Mr.  John 
Effingham  and  myself  were  star-gazing  at  a  point  where 
two  walks  approach  each  other,  just  as  you  and  Mr.  Powis 
were  passing  in  the  adjoining  path.  Without  absolutely 
stopping  our  ears,  it  was  quite  impossible  not  to  hear  a  por¬ 
tion  of  your  conversation.  We  both  tried  to  behave  honor¬ 
ably  ;  for  I  coughed,  and  your  kinsman  actually  hemmed, 
but  we  were  unheeded.” 

“  Coughed  and  hemmed  !  ”  repeated  Eve,  in  greater  con- 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


357 


fusion  than  ever.  “  There  must  be  some  mistake,  dear  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  as  I  remember  to  have  heard  no  such  signals.” 

“  Quite  likely,  my  love,  for  there  was  a  time  when  I  too 
had  ears  for  only  one  voice  ;  but  you  can  have  affidavits  to 
the  fact,  a  la  mode  de  New  England,  if  you  require  them. 
Do  not  mistake  my  motive,  nevertheless,  Miss  Effingham, 
which  is  anything  but  vulgar  curiosity  ”—  here  Mrs.  Bloom¬ 
field  looked  so  kind  and  friendly,  that  Eve  took  both  her 
hands  and  pressed  them  to  her  heart— “  you  are  motherless  ; 
without  even  a  single  female  connection  of  a  suitable  age  to 
consult  with  on  such  an  occasion,  and  fathers  after  all  are 
but  men — ’  ’ 

Mine  is  as  kind,  and  delicate,  and  tender,  as  any  woman 
can  be,  Mrs.  Bloomfield.” 

“  I  believe  it  all,  though  he  may  not  be  quite  as  quick- 
sighted  in  an  affair  of  this  nature.  Am  I  at  liberty  to  speak 
to  you  as  if  I  were  an  elder  sister  ?  ’  ’ 

“Speak,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  as  frankly  as  you  please,  but 
leave  me  the  mistress  of  my  answers.” 

“  ft  is,  then,  as  I  suspected,”  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  in  a 
sort  of  musing  manner  ;  “  the  men  have  been  won  over,  and 
this  young  creature  has  absolutely  been  left  without  a  pro¬ 
tector  in  the  most  important  moment  of  her  life.  ’  ’ 

“  Mrs.  Bloomfield  !  What  does  this  mean  ?  What  can  it 
mean  ?  ” 

1  ‘  It  means  merely  general  principles,  child  ;  that  your 
father  and  cousin  have  been  parties  concerned,  instead  of 
vigilant  sentinels ;  and  with  all  their  pretended  care,  that 
you  have  been  left  to  grope  your  way  in  the  darkness  of 
female  uncertainty,  with  one  of  the  most  pleasing  young 
men  in  the  country  constantly  before  you,  to  help  the  ob¬ 
scurity.” 

It  is  a  dreadful  moment  when  we  are  taught  to  doubt 
the  worth  of  those  we  love ;  and  Eve  became  pale  as  death 
as  she  listened  to  the  words  of  her  friend.  Once  before, 
on  the  occasion  of  Paul’s  return  to  England,  she  had  felt  a 
pang  of  that  sort,  though  reflection,  and  a  calm  revision  of 
all  his  acts  and  words  since  they  first  met  in  Germany,  had 
enabled  her  to  get  the  better  of  indecision,  and  when  she 


3$8 


iborne  as  jfounfc 


first  saw  him  on  the  mountain,  nearly  every  unpleasant  ap¬ 
prehension  and  distrust  had  been  dissipated  by  an  effort  of 
pure  reason.  His  own  explanations  had  cleared  up  the 
unpleasant  affair,  and  from  that  moment  she  had  regarded 
him  altogether  with  the  eyes  of  a  confiding  partiality.  The 
speech  of  Mrs.  Bloomfield  now  sounded  like  words  of  doom 
to  her,  and  for  an  instant  her  friend  was  frightened  with  the 
effects  of  her  own  imperfect  communication.  Until  that 
moment  Mrs.  Bloomfield  had  formed  no  just  idea  of  the 
extent  to  which  the  feelings  of  Eve  were  interested  in  Paul, 
for  she  had  but  an  imperfect  knowledge  of  their  early  asso¬ 
ciation  in  Europe,  and  she  sincerely  repented  having  intro¬ 
duced  the  subject  at  all.  It  was  too  late  to  retreat,  however, 
and  first  holding  Eve  in  her  arms,  and  kissing  her  cold 
forehead,  she  hastened  to  repair  a  part,  at  least,  of  the 
mischief  she  had  done. 

“  My  words  have  been  too  strong,  I  fear,”  she  said,  “  but 
such  is  my  general  horror  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
young  of  our  sex,  in  this  country,  are  abandoned  to  the 
schemes  of  the  designing  and  selfish  of  the  other,  that  I  am, 
perhaps,  too  sensitive  when  I  see  any  one  that  I  love  thus 
exposed.  You  are  known,  my  dear,  to  be  one  of  the  richest 
heiresses  of  the  country  ;  and  I  blush  to  say  that  no  ac¬ 
counts  of  European  society  that  we  have,  make  fortune¬ 
hunting  a  more  regular  occupation  there,  than  it  has  got  to 
be  here.” 

The  paleness  left  Eve’s  face,  and  a  look  of  slight  dis¬ 
pleasure  succeeded. 

‘‘Mr.  Powis  is  no  fortune-hunter,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,”  she 
said  steadily  ;  ‘  ‘  his  whole  conduct  for  three  years  has  been 
opposed  to  such  a  character  ;  and  then,  though  absolutely 
not  rich,  perhaps,  he  has  a  gentleman’s  income,  and  is  re¬ 
moved  from  the  necessity  of  being  reduced  to  such  an  act  of 
baseness.” 

“  I  perceive  my  error,  but  it  is  now  too  late  to  retreat.  I 
do  not  say  that  Mr.  Powis  is  a  fortune-hunter,  but  there  are 
circumstances  connected  with  his  history  that  you  ought  at 
least  to  know,  and  that  immediately.  I  have  chosen  to 
speak  to  you,  rather  than  to  speak  to  your  father,  because 


Iborne  as  ffounb 


359 


I  thought  you  might  like  a  female  confidante  on  such  an  oc¬ 
casion,  in  preference  even  to  your  excellent  natural  protector. 
The  idea  of  Mrs.  Hawker  occurred  to  me  on  account  of  her 
age  ;  but  I  did  not  feel  authorized  to  communicate  to  her 
a- secret  of  which  I  had  myself  become  so  accidentally  pos¬ 
sessed.” 

“  I  appreciate  your  motive  fully,  dearest  Mrs.  Bloom¬ 
field,”  said  Eve,  smiling  with  all  her  native  sweetness,  and 
greatly  relieved,  for  she  now  began  to  think  that  too  keen 
a  sensitiveness  on  the  subject  of  Paul  had  unnecessarily 
alarmed  her,  “  and  beg  there  may  be  no  reserves  between  us. 
If  you  know  a  reason  why  Mr.  Powis  should  not  be  received 
as  a  suitor,  I  entreat  you  to  mention  it.” 

“  Is  he  Mr.  Powis  at  all?” 

Again  Eve  smiled,  to  Mrs.  Bloomfield’s  great  surprise, 
for,  as  the  latter  had  put  the  question  with  sincere  reluc¬ 
tance,  she  was  astonished  at  the  coolness  with  which  it  was 
received. 

“He  is  not  Mr.  Powis  legally,  perhaps,  though  he  might 
be,  but  that  he  dislikes  the  publicity  of  an  application  to  the 
legislature.  His  paternal  name  is  Assheton.” 

“  You  know  his  history,  then  ?  ” 

“There  has  been  no  reserve  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Powis; 
least  of  all,  any  deception.” 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  appeared  perplexed,  even  distressed  ;  and 
there  was  a  brief  space,  during  which  her  mind  was  unde¬ 
cided  as  to  the  course  she  ought  to  take.  That  she  had 
committed  an  error  by  attempting  a  consultation,  in  a  matter 
of  the  heart,  with  one  of  her  own  sex,  after  the  affections 
were  engaged,  she  discovered  when  it  was  too  late  ;  but  she 
prized  Eve’s  friendship  too  much,  and  had  too  just  a  sense 
of  what  was  due  to  herself,  to  leave  the  affair  where  it  was, 
or  without  clearing  up  her  own  unasked  agency  in  it. 

“  I  rejoice  to  learn  this,”  she  said,  as  soon  as  her  doubts 
had  ended,  “  for  frankness,  while  it  is  one  of  the  safest,  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  traits  in  human  character ;  but 
beautiful  though  it  be,  it  is  one  that  the  other  sex  uses  least 
to  our  own.” 

“  Is  our  own  too  ready  to  use  it  to  the  other?  ” 


36° 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


“  Perhaps  not ;  it  might  be  better  for  both  parties  were 
there  less  deception  practised  during  the  period  of  courtship, 
generally  ;  but  as  this  is  hopeless,  and  might  destroy  some 
of  the  most  pleasing  illusions  of  life,  we  will  not  enter  into 
a  treatise  on  the  frauds  of  Cupid.  Now  to  my  own  con¬ 
fessions,  which  I  make  all  the  more  willingly,  because  I 
know  they  are  uttered  to  the  ear  of  one  of  a  forgiving  tem¬ 
perament,  and  who  is  disposed  to  view  even  my  follies 
favorably.” 

The  kind  but  painful  smile  of  Eve  assured  the  speaker  she 
was  not  mistaken,  and  she  continued,  after  taking  time  to 
read  the  expression  of  the  countenance  of  her  young  friend, — 

“  In  common  with  all  of  New  York,  that  town  of  babbling 
misses,  who  prattle  as  water  flows,  without  consciousness  or 
effort,  and  of  whiskered  masters,  who  fancy  Broadway  the 
world,  and  the  flirtations  of  miniature  drawing-rooms  human 
nature,  I  believed  on  your  return  from  Europe,  that  an  ac¬ 
cepted  suitor  followed  in  your  train,  in  the  person  of  Sir 
George  Templemore.” 

“  Nothing  in  my  deportment,  or  in  that  of  Sir  George,  or 
in  that  of  any  of  my  family,  could  justly  have  given  rise  to 
such  a  notion,”  said  Eve,  quickly. 

“Justly  !  What  has  justice,  truth,  or  even  probability,  to 
do  with  a  report,  of  which  love  and  matrimony  are  the 
themes  ?  Do  you  not  know  society  better  than  to  fancy  this 
improbability,  child  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  know  that  our  own  sex  would  better  consult  their  own 
dignity  and  respectability,  my  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  if  they 
talked  less  of  such  matters ;  and  that  they  would  be  more 
apt  to  acquire  the  habits  of  good  taste,  not  to  say  of  good 
principles,  if  they  confined  their  strictures  more  to  things 
and  sentiments  than  they  do,  and  meddled  less  with  per¬ 
sons.” 

“And  pray,  is  there  no  tittle-tattle,  no  scandal,  no  com¬ 
menting  on  one’s  neighbors,  in  other  civilized  nations  besides 
this?” 

“  Unquestionably  ;  though  I  believe,  as  a  rule,  it  is  every¬ 
where  thought  to  be  inherently  vulgar,  and  a  proof  of  low 
associations.  ’  ’ 


Ifooitie  as  tfomb 


36  r 


‘  ‘  In  that  we  are  perfectly  of  a  mind  ;  for  if  there  be  any¬ 
thing  that  betrays  a  consciousness  of  inferiority,  it  is  our 
rendering  others  of  so  much  obvious  importance  to  our¬ 
selves,  as  to  make  them  the  subjects  of  our  constant  conver¬ 
sation.  We  may  speak  of  virtues,  for  therein  we  pay  a 
homage  to  that  which  is  good  ;  but  when  we  come  to  dwell 
on  personal  faults,  it  is  rather  a  proof  that  w*e  have  a  silent 
conviction  of  the  superiority  of  the  subject  of  our  comments 
to  ourselves,  either  in  character,  talents,  social  position,  or 
something  else  that  is  deemed  essential,  that  of  our  distaste 
for  his  failings.  Who,  for  instance,  talks  scandal  of  his 
grocer  or  of  his  shoemaker?  No,  no,  our  pride  forbids  this  ; 
wTe  always  make  our  betters  the  subjects  of  our  strictures  by 
preference,  taking  up  with  our  equals  only  when  we  can  get 
none  of  a  higher  class.” 

“This  quite  reconciles  me  to  having  been  given  to  Sir 
George  Templemore,  by  the  world  of  NewT  York,”  said  Kve, 
smiling. 

‘  ‘  And  -well  it  may,  for  they  who  have  prattled  of  your 
engagement,  have  done  so  principally  because  they  are  inca¬ 
pable  of  maintaining  a  conversation  on  anything  else.  But, 
all  this  time,  I  fear  I  stand  accused  in  your  mind,  of  having 
given  advice  unasked,  and  of  feeling  an  alarm  in  an  affair 
that  affected  others,  instead  of  myself,  which  is  the  very  sin 
that  wTe  lay  at  the  door  of  our  worthy  Manhattanese.  In 
common  with  all  around  me,  then,  I  fancied  Sir  George 
Templemore  an  accepted  lover,  and,  by  habit,  had  got  to 
associate  you  together  in  my  pictures.  On  my  arrival  here, 
however,  I  will  confess  that  Mr.  Powis,  wThom  you  will  re¬ 
member  I  had  never  seen  before,  struck  me  as  much  the 
most  dangerous  man.  Shall  I  own  all  my  absurdity  ?  ” 

“  Even  to  the  smallest  shade.” 

“  Well,  then,  I  confess  to  having  supposed  that,  while  the 
excellent  father  believed  you  were  in  a  fair  way  to  become 
Eady  Templemore,  the  equally  excellent  daughter  thought 
the  other  suitor  infinitely  the  most  agreeable  person.” 

‘  ‘  What  !  in  contempt  of  a  betrothal  ?  ’  ’ 

“Of  course  I  at  once  ascribed  that  part  of  the  report  to 
the  usual  embellishments.  We  do  not  like  to  be  deceived 


362 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


in  our  calculations,  or  to  discover  that  even  our  gossip  lias 
misled  us.  In  pure  resentment  at  my  own  previous  delusion, 
I  began  to  criticise  this  Mr.  Powis — ” 

“  Criticise,  Mrs.  Bloomfield  !  ” 

“To  find  fault  with  him,  my  dear  ;  to  try  to  think  he  was 
not  just  the  handsomest  and  most  engaging  young  man  I 
had  ever  seen  ;  to  imagine  what  he  ought  to  be,  in  place 
of  what  he  was  ;  and  among  other  things,  to  inquire  wdio 
he  was  ?  *  ’ 

“You  did  not  think  proper  to  ask  that  question  of  any 
of  us,”  said  Eve,  gravely. 

“  I  did  not  ;  for  I  discovered  by  instinct,  or  intuition,  or 
conjecture — they  mean  pretty  much  the  some  thing,  I  be¬ 
lieve  —that  there  was  a  mystery  about  him  ;  something  that 
even  his  Templeton  friends  did  not  quite  understand,  and  a 
lucky  thought  occurred  of  making  my  inquiries  of  another 
person.” 

“They  were  answered  satisfactorily?  ”  said  Eve,  looking 
up  at  her  friend  with  the  artless  confidence  that  marks  her 
sex,  when  the  affections  have  got  the  mastery  of  reason. 

“  Cost,  cosi.  Bloomfield  has  a  brother  who  is  in  the 
navy,  as  you  know,  and  I  happened  to  remember  that  he 
had  once  spoken  of  an  officer  of  the  name  of  Powis,  who 
had  performed  a  clever  thing  in  the  West  Indies,  when  they 
were  employed  together  against  the  pirates.  I  wrote  to 
him  one  of  my  usual  letters,  that  are  compounded  of  all 
things  in  nature  and  art,  and  took  an  occasion  to  allude  to 
a  certain  Mr.  Paul  Powis,  wfith  a  general  remark  that  he 
had  formerly  served,  together  with  a  particular  inquiry  if 
he  knew  anything  about  him.  All  this,  no  doubt,  you 
think  very  officious  ;  but  believe  me,  dear  Eve,  where  there 
was  as  much  interest  as  I  felt  and  feel  in  you,  it  was  very 
natural.” 

‘  ‘  So  far  from  entertaining  resentment,  I  am  grateful  for 
your  concern,  especially  as  I  know  it  was  manifested  cau¬ 
tiously,  and  without  any  unpleasant  allusions  to  third  per¬ 
sons.” 

“In  that  respect  I  believe  I  did  pretty  well.  Tom 
Bloomfield — I  beg  his  pardon,  Captain  Bloomfield,  for  so 


iborne  as  fount* 


363 


he  calls  himself  at  present — knows  Mr.  Powis  well ;  or, 
rather  did  know  him,  for  they  have  not  met  for  years,  and 
he  speaks  of  his  personal  qualities  and  professional  merit 
highly,  but  takes  occasion  to  remark  that  there  was  some 
mystery  connected  with  his  birth,  as  before  he  joined  the 
service  he  understood  he  was  called  Assheton,  and  at  a 
later  day,  Powis,  and  this  without  any  public  law,  or  public 
avowal  of  a  motive.  Now  it  struck  me  that  Eve  Effingham 
ought  not  to  be  permitted  to  form  a  connection  with  a  man 
so  unpleasantly  situated,  without  being  apprised  of  the  fact. 
I  was  waiting  for  a  proper  occasion  to  do  this  ungrateful 
office  myself,  when  accident  made  me  acquainted  with  what 
has  passed  this  evening,  and  perceiving  that  there  was  no 
time  to  lose,  I  came  hither,  more  led  by  interest  in  you,  my 
dear,  perhaps,  than  by  discretion.” 

“  I  thank  you  sincerely  for  this  kind  concern  in  my  wel¬ 
fare,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  and  give  you  full  credit  for  the 
motive.  Will  you  permit  me  to  inquire  how  much  you 
know  of  that  which  passed  this  evening  ?  ” 

“  Simply  that  Mr.  Powis  is  desperately  in  love — a  dec¬ 
laration  that,  I  take  it,  is  always  dangerous  to  the  peace 
of  mind  of  a  }'oung  woman,  when  it  comes  from  a  very 
engaging  young  man.” 

“And  my  part  of  the  dialogue” — Eve  blushed  to  the 
eyes  as  she  asked  this  question,  though  she  made  a  great 
effort  to  appear  calm — “  my  answer  ?  ” 

“There  was  too  much  of  woman  in  me — of  true,  genu¬ 
ine,  loyal,  native  woman,  Miss  Effingham,  to  listen  to  that, 
had  there  been  an  opportunity.  We  were  but  a  moment 
near  enough  to  hear  anything,  though  that  moment  sufficed 
to  let  us  know  the  state  of  feelings  of  the  gentleman.  I 
ask  no  confidences,  my  dear  Eve,  and  now  that  I  have  made 
my  explanations,  lame  though  they  be,  I  will  kiss  you  and 
repair  to  the  drawing-room,  where  we  shall  both  be  soon 
missed.  Forgive  me,  if  I  have  seemed  impertinent  in  my 
interferences,  and  continue  to  ascribe  it  to  its  true  motive,” 

“Stop,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  I  entreat,  for  a  single  moment; 

I  wish  to  say  a  word  before  we  part.  As  you  have  been 
accidentally  made  acquainted  with  Mr.  Powis’  sentiments 


364 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


towards  me,  it  is  no  more  than  just  that  you  should  know 
the  nature  of  mine  towards  him — ’  ’ 

Eve  paused  involuntarily,  for  though  she  had  commenced 
her  explanation  with  a  firm  intention  to  do  justice  to  Paul, 
the  bashfulness  of  her  sex  held  her  tongue-tied,  at  the  very 
moment  her  desire  to  speak  was  the  strongest.  An  effort 
conquered  the  weakness,  and  the  wTarm-hearted,  generous- 
minded  girl  succeeded  in  commanding  her  voice. 

‘  ‘  I  cannot  allow  you  to  go  away  with  the  impression  that 
there  is  a  shade  of  any  sort  on  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Powis,” 
she  said.  ‘  ‘  So  far  from  desiring  to  profit  by  the  accidents 
that  have  placed  it  in  his  power  to  render  us  such  essential 
service,  he  has  never  spoken  of  his  love  until  this  evening, 
and  then  under  circumstances  in  which  feeling,  naturally, 
perhaps  I  might  say  uncontrollably,  got  the  ascendency. ” 

‘  ‘  I  believe  it  all,  for  I  feel  certain  Kve  Effingham  would 
not  bestow  her  heart  heedlessly.” 

“  Heart  !  Mrs.  Bloomfield  !  ” 

“  Heart,  my  dear  ;  and  now  I  insist  on  the  subject’s  being 
dropped,  at  least  for  the  present.  Your  decision  is  proba¬ 
bly  not  yet  made — you  are  not  yet  an  hour  in  possession 
of  your  suitor’s  secret,  and  prudence  demands  deliberation. 
I  shall  hope  to  see  you  in  the  drawing-room,  and  until  then, 
adieu.” 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  signed  for  silence,  and  quitted  the  room 
with  the  same  light  tread  as  that  with  which  she  had  en¬ 
tered  it. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

“  To  show  virtue  her  own  feature,  scorn  her  own  image,  and  the 
Very  age  and  body  of  the  time,  his  form  and  pressure.” 

Shakespeare. 

WHEN  Mrs.  Bloomfield  entered  the  drawing-room, 
she  found  nearly  the  whole  party  assembled. 
The  “  Fun  of  Fire  ”  had  ceased,  and  the  rock¬ 
ets  no  longer  gleamed  athwart  the  sky  ;  but 
the  blaze  of  artificial  light  within,  was  more  than  a  substi¬ 
tute  for  that  which  had  so  lately  existed  without. 

Mr.  Effingham  and  Paul  were  conversing  by  them¬ 
selves  in  a  window-seat,  while  John  Effingham,  Mrs. 
Hawker,  and  Mr.  Howel  were  in  an  animated  discussion 
on  a  sofa  ;  Mr.  Wenham  had  also  joined  the  party,  and 
was  occupied  with  Captain  Ducie,  though  not  so  much  so 
as  to  prevent  occasional  glances  at  the  trio  just  mentioned. 
Sir  George  Templemore  and  Grace  Van  Cortlandt  w^ere 
walking  together  in  the  great  hall,  and  were  visible  through 
the  open  door,  as  they  passed  and  repassed. 

‘  ‘  I  am  glad  of  your  appearance  among  us,  Mrs.  Bloom¬ 
field,”  said  John  Effingham,  “  for  certainly  more  Anglo¬ 
mania  never  existed  than  that  which  my  good  friend 
Howel  manifests  this  evening,  and  I  have  hopes  that  your 
eloquence  may  persuade  him  out  of  some  of  those  notions, 
on  which  my  logic  has  fallen  like  seed  scattered  by  the 
wayside.” 

“  I  can  have  little  hopes  of  success  where  Mr.  John  Effing¬ 
ham  has  failed.” 

“I  am  far  from  being  certain  of  that;  for,  somehow, 
Howel  has  taken  up  the  notion  that  I  have  got  a  grudge 


366 


Ibome  as  jFounfc 


against  England,  and  he  listens  to  all  I  say  with  distrust 
and  distaste.” 

“  Mr.  John  uses  strong  language  habitually,  ma’am,” 
cried  Mr.  Howel,  ‘  ‘  and  you  will  make  some  allowances  for 
a  vocabulary  that  has  no  very  mild  terms  in  it ;  though,  to 
be  frank,  I  do  confess  that  he  seems  prejudiced  on  the 
subject  of  that  great  nation.” 

What  is  the  point  in  immediate  controversy,  gentle¬ 
men?  ”  asked  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  taking  a  seat. 

Why,  here  is  a  review  of  a  late  American  work, 
ma’am,  and  I  insist  that  the  author  is  skinned  alive, 
whereas  Mr.  John  insists  that  the  reviewer  exposes  only 
his  own  rage,  the  work  having  a  national  character,  and 
running  counter  to  the  reviewer’s  feelings  and  interests.” 

Nay,  I  protest  against  this  statement  of  the  case,  for  I 
affirm  that  the  reviewer  exposes  a  great  deal  more  than 
his  rage,  since  his  imbecility,  ignorance,  and  dishonesty  are 
quite  as  apparent  as  anything  else.” 

”1  have  read  the  article,”  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  after 
glancing  her  eye  at  the  periodical,  “  and  I  must  say  that  I 
take  sides  with  Mr.  John  Effingham  in  his  opinion  of  its 
character.  ’  ’ 

“  But  do  you  not  perceive,  ma’am,  that  this  is  the  idol 
of  the  nobility  and  gentry  ;  the  work  that  is  more  in  favor 
with  people  of  consequence  in  England  than  any  other  ; 
bishops  are  said  to  write  for  it  !  ” 

‘  ‘  I  know  it  is  a  work  expressly  established  to  sustain  one 
of  the  most  factitious  political  systems  that  ever  existed,  and 
that  it  sacrifices  every  high  quality  to  attain  its  end.” 

Mrs.  Bloomfield,  }rou  amaze  me  !  The  first  writers  of 
Great  Britain  figure  in  its  pages.” 

“  That  I  much  question,  in  the  first  place  ;  but  even  if  it 
were  so,  it  would  be  but  a  shallow  mystification.  Although 
a  man  of  character  might  write  one  article  in  a  work  of  this 
nature,  it  does  not  follow  that  a  man  of  no  character  does 
not  write  the  next.  The  principles  of  the  communications 
of  a  periodical  are  as  different  as  their  talents.” 

“  But  the  editor  is  a  pledge  for  all.  The  editor  of  this 
review  is  an  eminent  writer  himself.” 


Ifoome  as  ffouufc 


367 


“An  eminent  writer  maybe  a  very  great  knave,  in  the 
first  place,  and  one  fact  is  worth  a  thousand  conjectures  in 
such  a  matter.  But  we  do  not  know  that  there  is  any 
responsible  editor  to  works  of  this  nature  at  all,  for  there 
is  no  name  given  in  the  title-page,  and  nothing  is  more 
common  than  vague  declarations  of  a  want  of  this  very 
responsibility.  But  if  I  can  prove  to  you  that  this  article 
cannot  have  been  written  by  a  man  of  common  honesty, 
Mr.  Howel,  what  will  you  then  say  to  the  responsibility  of 
your  editor  ?  *  ’ 

“  In  that  case  I  shall  be  compelled  to  admit  that  he  had 
no  connection  with  it.” 

‘  ‘  Anything  in  preference  to  giving  up  the  beloved  idol  !  ’  ’ 
said  John  Effingham,  laughing.  “  Why  not  add  at  once 
that  he  is  as  great  a  knave  as  the  writer  himself?  I  am 
glad,  however,  that  Tom  Howel  has  fallen  into  such  good 
hands,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  and  I  devoutly  pray  you  may  not 
spare  him.” 

We  have  said  that  Mrs.  Bloomfield  had  a  rapid  percep¬ 
tion  of  things  and  principles,  that  amounted  almost  to  intui¬ 
tion.  She  had  read  the  article  in  question,  and  as  she 
glanced  her  eyes  through  its  pages,  had  detected  its  falla¬ 
cies  and  falsehoods  in  almost  every  sentence.  Indeed,  they 
had  not  been  put  together  with  ordinary  skill,  the  writer  f 
having  evidently  presumed  on  the  easiness  of  the  class  of 
readers  who  generally  swallowed  his  round  assertions,  and 
were  so  clumsily  done,  that  any  one  who  had  not  the  faith  \ 
to  move  mountains  would  have  seen  through  most  of  them 
without  difficulty.  But  Mr.  Howel  belonged  to  another 
school,  and  he  was  so  much  accustomed  to  shut  his  eyes 
to  the  palpable  mystification  mentioned  by  Mrs.  Bloomfield, 
that  a  lie,  which,  advanced  in  most  works,  would  have  car¬ 
ried  no  weight  with  it,  advanced  in  this  particular  periodical, 
became  elevated  to  the  dignity  of  truth. 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  turned  to  an  article  on  America,  in  the 
periodical  in  question,  and  read  from  it  several  disparaging 
expressions  concerning  Mr.  Howel’ s  native  country,  one  of 
which  was,  “  The  American’s  first  plaything  is  the  rattle¬ 
snake’s  tail.” 


368 


Iborne  as  fount) 


“  Now,  what  do  you  think  of  this  assertion,  in  particular, 
Mr.  Howel  ?  ”  she  asked,  reading  the  words  we  have  just 
quoted. 

“  Oh  !  that  is  said  in  mere  pleasantry  ;  it  is  only  wit.” 

“  Well,  then,  what  do  you  think  of  it  as  wit  ?  ” 

“  Well,  well,  it  may  not  be  of  a  very  pure  water,  but  the 
best  of  men  are  unequal  at  all  times,  and  more  especially  in 
their  wit.” 

“Here,”  continued  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  pointing  to  another 
paragraph,  “is  a  positive  statement — or  misstatement — 
which  makes  the  cost  of  the  ‘  civil  department  of  the 
United  States  government,’  about  six  times  more  than  it 
really  is.” 

Our  government  is  so  extremely  mean  that  I  ascribe 
that  error  to  generosity.  ’  ’ 

“Well,”  continued  the  lady,  smiling,  “  here  the  reviewer 
asserts  that  Congress  passed  a  law  limiting  the  size  of  certain 
ships,  in  order  to  please  the  democracy  ;  and  that  the  Exec¬ 
utive  privately  evaded  this  law,  and  built  vessels  of  a  much 
greater  size  ;  whereas  the  provision  of  the  law  is  just  the 
contrary,  or  that  the  ships  should  not  be  less  than  of  sev¬ 
enty-four  guns  ;  a  piece  of  information,  by  the  way,  that  I 
obtained  from  Mr.  Powis.” 

“  Ignorance,  ma’am  ;  a  stranger  cannot  be  supposed  to 
know  all  the  laws  of  a  foreign  country.” 

“Then  why  make  bold  and  false  assertions  about  them 
that  are  intended  to  discredit  the  country  ?  Here  is  an¬ 
other  assertion  :  ‘  Ten  thousand  of  the  men  that  fought  at 
Waterloo  would  have  marched  through  North  America.’  Do 
you  believe  that,  Mr.  Plowel  ?  ” 

“But  that  is  merely  an  opinion,  Mrs.  Bloomfield;  any 
man  may  be  wrong  in  his  opinion.” 

“  Very  true,  but  it  is  an  opinion  uttered  in  the  year  of 
our  Eord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-eight  ; 
and  after  the  battles  of  Bunker  Hill,  Cowpens,  Plattsburgh, 
Saratoga,  and  New  Orleans  !  And,  moreover,  after  it  had 
been  proved  that  something  very  like  ten  thousand  of  the 
identical  men  who  fought  at  Waterloo  could  not  march  even 
ten  miles  into  the  country.” 


Ibonte  as  jfonnb  369 


“  Well,  well,  all  this  shows  that  the  reviewer  is  sometimes 
mistaken.” 

”  Your  pardon,  Mr.  Howel ;  I  think  it  shows,  according 
to  your  own  admission,  that  his  wit — or  rather  its  wit,  for 
there  is  no  his  about  it — that  its  wit  is  of  a  very  indifferent 
quality  as  witticisms  even  ;  that  it  is  ignorant  of  what  it 
pretends  to  know  ;  and  that  its  opinions  are  no  better  than 
its  knowledge  :  all  of  which,  when  fairly  established  against 
one  who,  by  his  very  pursuit,  professes  to  know  more  than 
other  people,  is  very  much  like  making  it  appear  contempt¬ 
ible.” 

“  This  is  going  back  eight  or  ten  years— let  us  look  more 
particularly  at  the  article  about  which  the  discussion  com¬ 
mences.  ’  ’ 

“  Volontiers .” 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  now  .sent  to  -the  library  for  the  work 
reviewed,  and  opening  the  review  she  read  some  of  its 
strictures ;  and  then  turning  to  the  corresponding  passages 
in  the  work  itself,  she  pointed  out  the  unfairness  of  the 
quotations,  the  omissions  of  the  context,  and  in  several 
flagrant  instances,  witticisms  of  the  reviewer,  that  were 
purchased  at  the  expense  of  the  English  language.  She 
next  showed  several  of  those  audacious  assertions,  for  which 
the  particular  periodical  was  so  remarkable,  leaving  no 
doubt  with  any  candid  person,  that  they  were  purchased  at 
the  expense  of  truth. 

But  here  is  an  instance  that  will  scarce  admit  of  cavil¬ 
ling  or  objection  on  your  part,  Mr.  Howel,”  she  continued  ; 
“  do  me  the  favor  to  read  the  passage  in  the  review.” 

Mr.  Howel  complied,  and  when  he  had  done,  he  looked 
expectingly  at  the  lady. 

“The  effect  of  the  reviewer’s  statement  is  to  make  it 
appear  that  the  author  has  contradicted  himself,  is  it 
not  ?  ” 

“  Certainly,  nothing  can  be  plainer.” 

According  to  your  favorite  reviewer,  who  accuses  him 
of  it,  in  terms.  Now  let  us  look  at  the  fact.  Here  is  the 
passage  in  the  work  itself.  In  the  first  place,  you  will  re¬ 
mark  that  this  sentence  which  contains  the  alleged 

24 


con- 


37° 


Ibonte  as  jfouitb 


tradiction,  is  mutilated  ;  the  part  which  is  omitted,  giving 
a  directly  contrary  meaning  to  it,  from  that  it  bears  under 
the  reviewer’s  scissors.” 

“  It  has  some  such  appearance,  I  do  confess.” 

“  Here  you  perceive  that  the  closing  sentence  of  the  same 
paragraph,  and  which  refers  directly  to  the  point  at  issue, 
is  displaced,  made  to  appear  as  belonging  to  a  separate  para¬ 
graph,  and  as  conveying  a  different  meaning  from  what  the 
author  has  actually  expressed.” 

“  Upon  my  word,  I  do  not  know  but  you  are  right  !  ” 

“Well,  Mr.  Howel,  we  have  had  wit  of  no  very  pure 
water,  ignorance  as  relates  to  facts,  and  mistakes  as  regards 
very  positive  assertions.  In  what  category,  as  Captain 
Truck  would  say,  do  you  place  this  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  Why  does  not  the  author  reviewed  expose  this  ?  ’  ’ 

“Why  does  not  a  gentleman  wrangle  with  a  detected 
pickpocket  ?  ’  ’ 

“  It  is  literary  swindling,”  said  John  Effingham,  “  and  the 
man  who  did  it,  is  inherently  a  knave.” 

“I  think  both  these  facts  quite  beyond  dispute,”  observed 
Mrs.  Bloomfield,  laying  down  Mr.  Howel’ s  favorite  review 
with  an  air  of  cool  contempt  ;  ‘  ‘  and  I  must  say  I  did  not 
think  it  necessary  to  prove  the  general  character  of  the 
work,  at  this  late  date,  to  any  American  of  ordinary  intelli¬ 
gence  ;  much  less  to  a  sensible  man  like  Mr.  Howel.  ’  ’ 

“But,  ma’am,  there  may  be  much  truth  and  justice  in 
the  rest  of  its  remarks,”  returned  the  pertinacious  Mr. 
Howel,  “  although  it  has  fallen  into  these  mistakes.” 

“Were  you  ever  on  a  jury,  Howel  ?  ”  asked  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  in  his  caustic  manner. 

“Often,  and  on  grand  juries,  too.” 

“Well,  did  the  judge  never  tell  you,  when  a  witness  is 
detected  in  lying  on  one  point,  that  his  testimony  is  val¬ 
ueless  on  all  others  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Very  true  ;  but  this  is  a  review,  and  not  testimony.” 

‘  ‘  The  distinction  is  certainly  a  very  good  one,  ’  ’  resumed 
Mrs.  Bloomfield,  laughing,  “as  nothing,  in  general,  can  be 
less  like  honest  testimony  than  a  review  !  ’  ’ 

“  But  I  think,  my  dear  ma’am,  you  will  allow  that  all 


Ibome  as  jfouttfc 


371 


this  is  excessively  biting  and  severe.  I  can’t  say  I  ever 
read  anything  sharper  in  my  life.” 

“  It  strikes  me,  Mr.  Howel,  as  being  nothing  but  epi¬ 
thets,  the  cheapest  and  most  contemptible  of  all  species  of 
abuse.  Were  two  men,  in  your  presence,  to  call  each  other 
such  names,  I  think  it  would  excite  nothing  but  disgust  in 
your  mind.  When  the  thought  is  clear  and  poignant,  there 
is  little  need  to  have  recourse  to  mere  epithets.  Indeed,  men 
never  use  the  latter,  except  when  there  is  a  deficiency  of 
the  first.” 

“Well,  well,  my  friends,”  cried  Mr.  Howel,  as  he 
walked  away  towards  Grace  and  Sir  George,  “this  is 
a  different  thing  from  what  I  at  first  thought  it ;  but  still  I 
think  you  undervalue  the  periodical.” 

“  I  hope  this  little  lesson  will  cool  some  of  Mr.  Howel’ s 
faith  in  foreign  morality,”  observed  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  as 
soon  as  the  gentleman  named  was  out  of  hearing  ;  “a  more 
credulous  and  devout  worshipper  of  the  idol,  I  have  never 
before  met.” 

“The  school  is  diminishing,  but  it  is  still  large.  Men 
like  Tom  Howel,  who  have  thought  in  one  direction  all 
their  lives,  are  not  easily  brought  to  change  their  notions, 
especially  when  the  admiration  which  proceeds  from  dis¬ 
tance — distance,  ‘  that  lends  enchantment  to  the  view  ’ — 
is  at  the  bottom  of  their  faith.  Had  this  very  article  been 
written  and  printed  round  the  corner  of  the  street  in  which 
he  lives,  Howel  would  be  the  first  to  say  that  it  was  the 
production  of  a  fellow  without  talents  or  principles,  and 
was  unworthy  of  a  seco/id  thought.” 

“  1  still  think  he  will  be  a  wiser  if  not  a  better  man,  by 
the  exposure  of  its  frauds.” 

Not  he.  If  you  will  excuse  a  homely  and  a  coarse 
simile,  ‘  He  will  return  like  a  dog  to  his  vomit,  or  the  sow 
to  its  wallowing  in  the  mire.’  I  never  knew  one  of  that 
school  thoroughly  cured,  until  he  became  himself  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  attack,  or,  by  a  close  personal  communication,  was 
made  to  feel  the  superciliousness  of  European  superiority. 
It  is  only  a  week  since  I  had  a  discussion  with  him  on  the 
subject  of  the  humanity  and  the  relish  for  liberty  in  his 


372 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


beloved  model ;  and  when  I  cited  the  instance  of  the  em¬ 
ployment  of  the  tomahawk,  in  the  wars  between  England 
and  this  country,  he  actually  affirmed  that  the  Indian  sav¬ 
ages  killed  no  women  and  children  but  the  wives  and  off¬ 
spring  of  their  enemies ;  and  when  I  told  him  that  the 
English,  like  most  other  people,  cared  very  little  for  any 
liberty  but  their  own,  he  coolly  affirmed  that  their  own  was 
the  only  liberty  worth  caring  for  !  ” 

“  Oh,  yes,”  put  in  young  Mr.  Wenham,  who  had  over¬ 
heard  the  latter  portion  of  the  conversation,  “Mr.  Howel 
is  so  thoroughly  English,  that  he  actually  denies  that 
America  is  the  most  civilized  country  in  the  world,  or  that 
we  speak  our  language  better  than  any  nation  was  ever 
before  known  to  speak  its  own  language.” 

“  This  is  so  manifest  an  act  of  treason,”  said  Mrs.  Bloom¬ 
field,  endeavoring  to  look  grave  ;  for  Mr.  Wenham  was 
anything  but  accurate  in  the  use  of  words  himself,  com¬ 
monly  pronouncing  “been,”  “ben,”  “does,”  “  dooze,” 

‘  ‘  nothing,  ’  ’  ‘  ‘  nawthing,  ”  “  few,  ’  ’  ‘ ‘  foo,  ’  ’  etc. ,  etc. ,  etc. , 
“  that  certainly,  Mr.  Howel  should  be  arraigned  at  the  bar 
of  public  opinion  for  the  outrage.” 

‘  ‘  It  is  commonly  admitted,  even  by  our  enemies,  that 
our  mode  of  speaking  is  the  very  best  in  the  world,  which, 
I  suppose,  is  the  real  reason  why  our  literature  has  so  rap¬ 
idly  reached  the  top  of  the  ladder.” 

‘  ‘  And  is  that  the  fact  ?  ’  ’  asked  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  with  a 
curiosity  that  was  not  in  the  least  feigned. 

“  I  believe  no  one  denies  that.  You  will  sustain  me  in 
this,  I  fancy,  Mr.  Dodge?  ” 

The  editor  of  the  “  Active  Inquirer”  had  approached,  and 
was  just  in  time  to  catch  the  subject  in  discussion.  Now  the 
modes  of  speech  of  these  two  persons,  while  they  had  a 
great  deal  in  common,  had  also  a  great  deal  that  was  not 
in  common.  Mr.  Wenham  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and 
his  dialect  was  a  mixture  that  is  getting  to  be  sufficiently 
general,  partaking  equally  of  the  Doric  of  New  England, 
the  Dutch  cross,  and  the  old  English  root ;  whereas  Mr. 
Dodge  spoke  the  pure,  unalloyed  Tuscan  of  his  province, 
rigidly  adhering  to  all  its  sounds  and  significations.  ‘  ‘  Dissi- 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


373 


pa non,”  he  contended,  meant  “drunkenness”;  “ugly,” 
‘  ‘  vicious  ”  ;  “  clever,  ”  “  good-natured  ’  ’  ;  and  ‘  ‘  humbly  ’  ’ 
(homely),  “ugly.”  In  addition  to  this  finesse  in  signifi¬ 
cations,  he  had  a  variety  of  pronunciations  that  often  put 
strangers  at  fault,  and  to  which  he  adhered  with  a  perti¬ 
nacity  that  obtained  some  of  its  force  from  the  fact  that  it 
exceeded  his  power  to  get  rid  of  them.  Notwithstanding 
all  these  little  peculiarities — peculiarities  as  respects  every 
one  but  those  who  dwelt  in  his  own  province — Mr.  Dodge 
had  also  taken  up  the  notion  of  his  superiority  on  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  language,  and  always  treated  the  matter  as  one  that 
was  placed  quite  beyond  dispute,  by  its  publicity  and  truth. 

“The  progress  of  American  literature,”  returned  the 
editor,  “is  realty  astonishing  the  four  quarters  of  the 
world.  I  believe  it  is  very  generally  admitted,  now,  that 
our  pulpit  and  bar  are  at  the  very  summit  of  these  two 
professions.  Then  we  have  much  the  best  poets  of  the 
age,  while  eleven  of  our  novelists  surpass  any  of  all  other 
countries.  The  American  Philosophical  Society  is,  I  be¬ 
lieve,  generally  considered  the  most  acute  learned  body 
now  existing,  unless,  indeed,  the  New  York  Historical 
Society  may  compete  with  it  for  that  honor.  Some  persons 
give  the  palm  to  one,  and  some  to  the  other  ;  though  I 
myself  think  it  would  be  difficult  to  decide  between  them. 
Then  to  what  a  pass  has  the  drama  risen  of  late  years  ! 
Genius  is  getting  to  be  quite  a  drug  in  America  !  ” 

“  You  have  forgotten  to  speak  of  the  press,  in  particular,” 
put  in  the  complacent  Mr.  Wenliam.  “  I  think  we  may 
more  safety  pride  ourselves  on  the  high  character  of  the 
press  than  anything  else.” 

‘  ‘  Why,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  sir,  ’  ’  answered  Steadfast, 
taking  the  other  by  the  arm,  and  leading  him  so  slowly 
away,  that  a  part  of  what  followed  was  heard  by  the  two 
amused  listeners,  “modesty  is  so  infallibly  the  companion 
of  merit,  that  we  who  are  engaged  in  that  high  pursuit,  do  not 
like  to  say  anything  in  our  own  favor.  You  never  detect  a 
newspaper  in  the  weakness  of  extolling  itself;  but,  between 
ourselves,  I  may  say,  after  a  dose'examinafion  of  the  con¬ 
dition  of  the  press  in  other  countries,  I  have  come  to  the 


374 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


conclusion,  that,  for  talents,  taste,  candor,  philosophy, 
genius,  honesty,  and  truth,  the  press  of  the  United  States 
stands  at  the  very — ’  ’ 

Here  Mr.  Dodge  passed  so  far  from  the  listeners,  that 
the  rest  of  the  speech  became  inaudible,  though  from  the 
well-established  modesty  of  the  man  and  the  editor,  there 
can  be  little  doubt  of  the  manner  in  which  he  concluded  the 
sentence. 

“It  is  said  in  Europe,”  observed  John  Effingham,  his 
fine  face  expressing  the  cool  sarcasm  in  which  he  was  so 
apt  to  indulge,  “  that  there  are  la  vieille  and  la  jemie  France . 
I  think  we  have  now  had  pretty  fair  specimens  of  old  and 
young  America  ;  the  first  distrusting  everything  native, 
even  to  a  potato  :  and  the  second  distrusting  nothing,  and 
least  of  all,  itself.” 

*  ‘  There  appears  to  be  a  sort  of  pendulum-uneasiness 
in  mankind,”  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  “  that  keeps  opinion 
always  vibrating  around  the  centre  of  truth,  for  I  think  it 
the  rarest  thing  in  the  world  to  find  man  or  woman  who 
has  not  a  disposition,  as  soon  as  an  error  is  abandoned,  to 
fly  off  into  its  opposite  extreme.  From  believing  we  had 
nothing  worthy  of  a  thought,  there  is  a  set  springing  up 
who  appear  to  have  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  we  have 
everything.  ’  ’ 

“  Ay,  that  is  one  of  the  reasons  that  all  the  rest  of  the 
world  laugh  at  us.” 

“  Laugh  at  us,  Mr.  Effingham!  Even  I  had  supposed 
the  American  name  had,  at  last,  got  to  be  in  good  credit 
in  other  parts  of  the  world.” 

“Then  even  you,  my  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  are  notably 
mistaken.  Europe,  it  is  true,  is  beginning  to  give  us  credit 
for  not  being  quite  as  bad  as  she  once  thought  us  ;  but  we 
are  far,  very  far,  from  being  yet  admitted  to  the  ordinary 
level  of  nations,  as  respects  goodness.” 

“Surely  they  give  us  credit  for  energy,  enterprise, 
activity — ’  ’ 

“Qualities  that  they  prettily  term  rapacity,  cunning, 
and  swindling  !  I  am  far,  very  far,  however,  from  giving 
credit  to  all  that  it  suits  the  interests  and  prejudices  of 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


375 


Europe,  especially  of  our  venerable  kinswoman,  Old  Eng¬ 
land,  to  circulate  and  think  to  the  prejudice  of  this  coun¬ 
try,  which,  in  my  poor  judgment,  has  as  much  substantial 
merits  to  boast  of  as  any  nation  on  earth  ;  though,  in  get¬ 
ting  rid  of  a  set  of  ancient  vices  and  follies,  it  has  not  had 
the  sagacity  to  discover  that  it  is  fast  falling  into  pretty 
tolerable,  or,  if  you  like  it  better,  intolerable  substitutes.” 

‘  ‘  What  then  do  you  deem  our  greatest  error — our  weakest 
point  ?  ” 

“Provincialisms,  with  their  train  of  narrow  prejudices, 
and  a  disposition  to  set  up  mediocrity  as  perfection,  under 
the  double  influence  of  an  ignorance  that  unavoidably  arises 
from  a  want  of  models,  and  of  the  irresistible  tendency  to 
mediocrity,  in  a  nation  where  the  common  mind  so  im¬ 
periously  rules.” 

‘ r  But  does  not  the  common  mind  rule  everywhere  ?  Is 
not  public  opinion  always  stronger  than  law  ?  ’  ’ 

“In  a  certain  sense,  both  these  positions  may  be  true. 
But  in  a  nation  like  this,  without  a  capital,  one  that  is  all 
provinces,  in  which  intelligence  and  tastes  are  scattered, 
this  common  mind  wants  the  usual  direction,  and  derives 
its  impulses  from  the  force  of  numbers,  rather  than  from 
the  force  of  knowledge.  Hence  the  fact,  that  the  public 
opinion  never  or  seldom  rises  to  absolute  truth.  I  grant  you 
that,  as  a  mediocrity,  it  is  well ;  much  better  than  common 
even  ;  but  it  is  still  a  mediocrity,” 

“  I  see  the  justice  of  your  remark,  and  I  suppose  we  are 
to  ascribe  the  general  use  of  superlatives,  which  is  so  very 
obvious,  to  these  causes.” 

“Unquestionably;  men  have  got  to  be  afraid  to  speak 
the  truth,  when  that  truth  is  a  little  beyond  the  common 
comprehension  ;  and  thus  it  is  that  you  see  the  fulsome 
flattery  that  all  the  public  servants,  as  they  call  themselves, 
resort  to,  in  order  to  increase  their  popularity,  instead  of 
telling  the  wholesome  facts  that  are  needed.” 

‘  ‘  And  what  is  to  be  the  result  ?  ”  ^ 

Heaven  knows.  While  America  is  so  much  in  advance 
of  other  nations,  in  a  freedom  from  prejudices  of  the  old 
school,  it  is  fast  substituting  a  set  of  prejudices  of  its  own, 


376 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


that  are  not  without  serious  dangers.  We  may  live  through 
it,  and  the  ills  of  society  may  correct  themselves,  though 
there  is  one  fact  that  menaces  more  evil  than  anything  I 
could  have  feared.” 

“You  mean  the  political  struggle  between  money  and 
numbers,  that  has  so  seriously  manifested  itself  of  late  !  ’  ’ 
exclaimed  the  quick-minded  and  intelligent  Mrs.  Bloomfield. 

“  That  has  its  dangers  ;  but  there  is  still  another  evil  of 
greater  magnitude.  I  allude  to  the  very  general  disposi¬ 
tion  to  confine  political  discussions  to  political  men.  Thus, 
the  private  citizen,  who  should  presume  to  discuss  a  polit¬ 
ical  question,  would  be  deemed  fair  game  for  all  who 
thought  differently  from  himself.  He  would  be  injured  in 
his  pocket,  reputation,  domestic  happiness,  if  possible  ;  for, 
in  this  respect,  America  is  much  the  most  intolerant  nation 
I  have  ever  visited.  In  all  other  countries  in  which  dis¬ 
cussion  is  permitted  at  all,  there  is  at  least  the  appearance 
of  fair  play,  whatever  may  be  done  covertly  ;  but  here  it 
seems  to  be  sufficient  to  justify  falsehood,  frauds,  nay,  bare¬ 
faced  rascality,  to  establish  that  the  injured  party  has  had 
the  audacity  to  meddle  with  public  questions,  not  being 
what  the  public  chooses  to  call  a  public  man.  It  is 
scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  when  such  an  opinion  gets 
to  be  effective,  it  must  entirely  defeat  the  real  intentions 
of  a  popular  government.” 

“  Now  you  mention  it,”  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  “  I  think  I 
have  witnessed  instances  of  what  you  mean.” 

“Witnessed,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield!  Instances  are  to  be 
seen  as  often  as  a  man  is  found  freeman  enough  to  have  an 
opinion  independent  of  party.  It  is  not  for  connecting  him¬ 
self  with  party  that  a  man  is  denounced  in  this  country,  but 
for  daring  to  connect  himself  with  truth.  Party  wrill  bear 
with  party,  but  party  will  not  bear  with  truth.  It  is  in  poli¬ 
tics  as  in  war,  regiments  or  individuals  may  desert,  and  they 
will  be  received  by  their  late  enemies  with  open  arms,  the 
honor  of  a  soldier  seldom  reaching  to  the  pass  of  refusing 
succor  of  any  sort ;  but  both  sides  will  turn  and  fire  on  the 
countrymen  who  wish  merely  to  defend  their  homes  and 
firesides.” 


Ifoorne  as  ffounfc 


377 


“You  draw  disagreeable  pictures  of  human  nature,  Mr. 
Effingham.” 

“Merely  because  they  are  true,  Mrs.  Bloomfield.  Man 
is  worse  than  the  beasts,  merely  because  he  has  a  code  of 
right  and  wrong  which  he  never  respects.  They  talk  of 
the  variation  of  the  compass,  and  even  pretend  to  calculate 
its  changes,  though  no  one  can  explain  the  principle  that 
causes  the  attraction  or  its  vagaries  at  all.  So  it  is  with 
men  ;  they  pretend  to  look  always  at  the  right,  though 
their  eyes  are  constantly  directed  obliquely  ;  and  it  is  a 
certain  calculation  to  allow  of  a  pretty  wide  variation — 
but  here  comes  Miss  Effingham,  singularly  well  attired, 
and  more  beautiful  than  I  have  ever  before  seen  her  !  ” 

The  two  exchanged  quick  glances,  and  then,  as  if  fear¬ 
ful  of  betraying  to  each  other  their  thoughts,  they  moved 
towards  our  heroine,  to  do  the  honors  of  the  reception. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

“  Haply,  when  I  shall  wed, 

That  lord,  whose  hand  must  take  my  plight,  shall  carry 
Half  my  love  with  him,  half  my  care  and  duty.” 

Cordelia . 

AS  no  man  could  be  more  gracefully  or  delicately 
polite  than  John  Effingham,  when  the  humor 
seized  him,  Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  struck  with  the 
kind  and  gentleman-like  manner  with  which  he 
met  his  young  kinswoman  on  this  trying  occasion,  and  the 
affectionate  tones  of  his  voice,  and  the  winning  expression 
of  his  eye,  as  he  addressed  her.  Eve  herself  was  not  unob¬ 
servant  of  these  peculiarities,  nor  was  she  slow  in  compre¬ 
hending  the  reason.  She  perceived  at  once  that  he  was 
acquainted  with  the  state  of  things  between  her  and  Paul. 
As  she  well  knew  the  womanly  fidelity  of  Mrs.  Bloomfield, 
she  rightly  enough  conjectured  that  the  long  observation  of 
her  cousin,  coupled  with  the  few  words  accidentally  over¬ 
heard  that  evening,  had  even  made  him  better  acquainted 
with  the  true  condition  of  her  feelings,  than  was  the  case 
with  the  friend  with  whom  she  had  so  lately  been  conversing 
on  the  subject. 

Still,  Eve  was  not  embarrassed  by  the  conviction  that  her 
secret  was  betrayed  to  so  many  persons.  Her  attachment 
to  Paul  was  not  the  impulse  of  girlish  caprice,  but  the  warm 
affection  of  a  woman,  that  had  grown  with  time,  was  sanc¬ 
tioned  by  her  reason,  and  which,  if  it  was  tinctured  with  the 
more  glowing  imagination  and  ample  faith  of  youth,  was 
also  sustained  by  her  principles  and  her  sense  of  right.  She 
knew  that  both  her  father  and  cousin  esteemed  the  man  of 
her  own  choice,  nor  did  she  believe  the  little  cloud  that  hung 


\ 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


379 


over  his  birth  could  do  more  than  have  a  temporary  influ¬ 
ence  on  his  own  sensitive  feelings.  She  met  John  Effing¬ 
ham  therefore,  with  a  frank  composure,  returned  the  kind 
pressure  of  his  hand  with  a  smile  such  as  a  daughter  might 
bestow  on  an  affectionate  parent,  and  turned  to  salute  the 
remainder  of  the  party  with  that  lady-like  ease  which  had 
got  to  be  a  part  of  her  nature. 

‘  ‘  There  goes  one  of  the  most  attractive  pictures  that 
humanity  can  offer,”  said  John  Effingham  to  Mrs.  Bloom¬ 
field,  as  Eve  walked  away  ;  “a  young,  timid,  modest,  sensi¬ 
tive  girl,  so  strong  in  her  principles,  so  conscious  of  rectitude, 
so  pure  of  thought,  and  so  warm  in  her  affections,  that  she 
views  her  selection  of  a  husband,  as  others  view  their  acts 
of  duty  and  religious  faith.  With  her  love  has  no  shame, 
as  it  has  no  weakness.” 

‘  ‘  Eve  Effingham  is  as  faultless  as  comports  with  woman¬ 
hood  ;  and  yet  I  confess  ignorance  of  my  own  sex,  if  she 
receive  Mr.  Powis  as  calmly  as  she  received  her  cousin.” 

‘  ‘  Perhaps  not,  for  in  that  case  she  could  scarcely  feel  the 
passion.  You  perceive  that  he  avoids  oppressing  her  with 
his  notice,  and  that  the  meeting  passes  off  without  embar¬ 
rassment.  I  do  believe  there  is  an  elevating  principle  in 
love,  that,  by  causing  us  to  wish  to  be  worthy  of  the  object 
most  prized,  produces  the  desired  effects  by  stimulating 
exertion.  There,  now,  are  two  as  perfect  beings  as  one 
ordinarily  meets  with,  each  oppressed  by  a  sense  of  his  or 
her  unworthiness  to  be  the  choice  of  the  other.  ’  ’ 

Does  love,  then,  teach  humility  ;  successful  love, 
too  ?  ’  ’ 

Does  it  not?  It  would  be  hardly  fair  to  press  this  mat¬ 
ter  on  you,  a  married  woman  ;  for,  by  the  pandects  of  Amer¬ 
ican  society,  a  man  may  philosophize  on  love,  prattle  about 
it,  trifle  on  the  subject,  and  even  analyze  the  passion  with  a 
miss  in  her  teens,  and  yet  he  shall  not  allude  to  it,  in  a  dis¬ 
course  with  a  matron.  Well,  chacun  <X  son  gofit  ;  we  are, 
indeed,  a  little  peculiar  in  our  usages,  and  have  promoted  a 
good  deal  of  village  coquetry,  and  the  flirtations  of  the 
may-pole,  to  the  drawing-room.” 

“  Is  it  not  better  that  such  follies  should  be  confined  to 


380 


Ibome  as  ffoimb 


youth,  than  that  they  should  invade  the  sanctity  of  married 
life,  as  I  understand  is  too  much  the  case  elsewhere  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  Perhaps  so  ;  though  I  confess  it  is  easier  to  dispose  of 
a  straightforward  proposition  from  a  mother,  a  father,  or  a 
commissioned  friend,  than  to  get  rid  of  a  young  lady,  who, 
proprih  persoyia ,  angles  on  her  own  account.  While  abroad, 
I  had  a  dozen  proposals — ” 

“Proposals!”  exclaimed  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  holding  up 
both  hands,  and  shaking  her  head  incredulously. 

“  Proposals  !  Why  not,  ma’am  ? — am  I  more  than  fifty  ? 
am  I  not  reasonably  youthful  for  that  period  of  life,  and  have 
I  not  six  or  eight  thousand  a  year — ’  ’ 

“  Eighteen,  or  you  are  much  scandalized.” 

“Well,  eighteen,  if  you  will,”  coolly  returned  the  other, 
in  whose  eyes  money  was  no  merit,  for  he  was  born  to  a 
fortune,  and  always  treated  it  as  a  means,  and  not  as  the 
end  of  life  ;  “  every  dollar  is  a  magnet,  after  one  has  turned 
forty.  Do  you  suppose  that  a  single  man,  of  tolerable  per¬ 
son,  well  born,  and  with  a  hundred  thousand  francs  of  rentes , 
could  entirely  escape  proposals  from  the  ladies  in  Europe  ?  ’  ’ 
“  This  is  so  revolting  to  all  our  American  notions  that, 
though  I  have  often  heard  of  such  things,  I  have  always 
found  it  difficult  to  believe  them  !  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  And  is  it  more  revolting  for  the  friends  of  young  ladies 
to  look  out  for  them,  on  such  occasions,  than  that  the  young 
ladies  should  take  the  affair  into  their  own  hands,  as  is 
practised  quite  as  openly  here  ?  ’  ’ 

“  It  is  well  you  are  a  confirmed  bachelor,  or  declarations 
like  these  would  mar  your  fortunes.  I  will  admit  that  the 
school  is  not  as  retiring  and  diffident  as  formerly  ;  for  we 
are  all  ready  enough  to  say  that  no  times  are  equal  to  our 
own  times  ;  but  I  shall  strenuously  protest  against  your 
interpretation  of  the  nature  and  artlessness  of  an  American 
girl.” 

“  Artlessness  !  ”  repeated  John  Effingham,  with  a  slight 
lifting  of  the  eyebrows;  “we  live  in  an  age  when  new 
dictionaries  and  vocabularies  are  necessary  to  understand 
each  other’s  meaning.  It  is  artlessness  with  a  vengeance, 
to  beset  an  old  fellow  of  fifty  as  one  would  besiege  a  town. 


Ibome  as  ffoun£> 


•381 


Hist  !  Ned  is  retiring  with  his  daughter,  my  dear  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  and  it  will  not  be  long  before  I  shall  be  sum¬ 
moned  to  a  family  council.  Well,  we  will  keep  the  secret 
until  it  is  publicly  proclaimed.” 

John  Effingham  was  right,  for  his  two  cousins  left  the 
room  together  and  retired  to  the  library,  but  in  a  way  to 
attract  no  particular  attention,  except  in  those  who  were 
enlightened  on  the  subject  of  what  had  already  passed  that 
evening.  When  they  were  alone  Mr.  Effingham  turned  the 
key,  and  then  he  gave  a  free  vent  to  his  paternal  feelings. 

Between  Eve  and  her  parent  there  had  always  existed  a 
confidence  exceeding  that  which  it  is  common  to  find  between 
father  and  daughter.  In  one  sense  they  had  been  all  in  all 
to  each  other,  and  Eve  had  never  hesitated  about  pouring 
those  feelings  into  his  breast  which,  had  she  possessed 
another  parent,  would  more  naturally  have  been  confided  to 
the  affection  of  a  mother.  When  their  eyes  first  met,  there¬ 
fore,  they  were  mutually  beaming  with  an  expression  of 
confidence  and  love,  such  as  might,  in  a  measure,  have  been 
expected  between  two  of  the  gentler  sex.  Mr.  Effingham 
folded  his  child  to  his  heart,  pressed  her  there  tenderly  for 
near  a  minute  in  silence,  and  then  kissing  her  burning  cheek 
he  permitted  her  to  look  up. 

‘  ‘  This  answers  all  my  fondest  hopes,  Eve  !  ”  he  ex¬ 
claimed  ;  <  “  fulfils  my  most  cherished  wishes  for  thy  sake.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  Dearest  sir  !  ” 

“Yes,  my  love,  I  have  long  secretly  prayed  that  such 
might  be  your  good  fortune  ;  for,  of  all  the  youths  we  have 
met,  at  home  or  abroad,  Paul  Powis  is  the  one  to  whom  I 
can  consign  you  with  the  most  confidence  that  he  will  cherish 
and  love  you  as  you  deserve  to  be  cherished  and  loved  !  ” 

‘  ‘  Dearest  father,  nothing  but  this  was  wanting  to  com¬ 
plete  my  perfect  happiness.  ” 

Mr.  Effingham  kissed  his  daughter  again,  and  he  was 
then  enabled  to  pursue  the  conversation  with  greater  com¬ 
posure. 

“Powis  and  I  have  had  a  full  explanation,”  he  said, 

‘  ‘  though  in  order  to  obtain  it  I  have  been  obliged  to  give 
him  strong  encouragement — ’  ’ 


Ibome  as  ifounfc 


382  • 


“  Father !  ” 

“  Nay,  my  love,  your  delicacy  and  feelings  have  been 
sufficiently  respected,  but  he  has  so  much  diffidence  of  him¬ 
self,  and  permits  the  unpleasant  circumstances  connected 
with  his  birth  to  weigh  so  much  on  his  mind,  that  I  have 
been  compelled  to  tell  him,  what  I  am  sure  you  will  ap¬ 
prove,  that  we  disregard  family  connections,  and  look  only 
to  the  merit  of  the  individual.” 

“  I  hope,  father,  nothing  was  said  to  give  Mr.  Powis  reason 
to  suppose  we  did  not  deem  him  every  way  our  equal.” 

“  Certainly  not.  He  is  a  gentleman,  and  I  can  claim  to 
be  no  more.  There  is  but  one  thing  in  which  connections 
ought  to  influence  an  American  marriage,  where  the  parties 
are  suited  to  each  other  in  the  main  requisites,  and  that  is, 
to  ascertain  that  neither  should  be  carried,  necessarily,  into 
associations  for  which  their  habits  have  given  them  too  much 
and  too  good  taste  to  enter  into.  A  woman  especially 
ought  never  to  be  transplanted  from  a  polished  to  an  un¬ 
polished  circle  ;  for,  when  this  is  the  case,  if  really  a  lady, 
there  will  be  a  dangerous  clog  011  her  affection  for  her  hus¬ 
band.  This  one  great  point  assured,  I  see  no  other  about 
which  a  parent  need  feel  concern.” 

“Powis,  unhappily,  has  no  connection  in  this  country; 
or  none  with  whom  he  has  an}^  communications  ;  and  those 
he  has  in  England  are  of  a  class  to  do  him  credit.” 

“  We  have  been  conversing  of  this,  and  he  has  manifested 
so  much  proper  feeling  that  it  has  even  raised  him  in  my 
esteem.  I  knew  his  father’s  family,  and  must  have  known 
his  father,  I  think,  though  there  were  two  or  three  Asshe- 
tons  of  the  name  of  John.  It  is  a  highly  respectable  family 
of  the  Middle  States,  and  belonged  formerly  to  the  colonial 
aristocracy.  Jack  Effingham’s  mother  was  an  Assheton.” 

“Of  the  same  blood,  do  you  think,  sir?  I  remembered 
this  when  Mr.  Powis  mentioned  his  father’s  name,  and 
intended  to  question  cousin  Jack  on  the  subject.” 

“Now  you  speak  of  it,  Eve,  there  must  be  a  relation¬ 
ship  between  them.  Do  you  suppose  that  our  kinsman 
is  acquainted  with  the  fact  that  Paul  is,  in  truth,  an  Asshe¬ 
ton  ?  ” 


Ibonte  as  jfounb  383 

Eve  told  her  father  that  she  had  never  spoken  with  their 
relative  on  the  subjeet  at  all. 

“Then  ring  the  bell,  and  we  will  ascertain  at  once  how 
far  my  conjecture  is  true.  You  can  have  no  false  delicacy, 
my  child,  about  letting  your  engagement  be  known  to  one 
as  near  and  as  dear  to  us  as  John.” 

‘  ‘  Engagement,  father  !  ’  ’ 

“Yes,  engagement,”  returned  the  smiling  parent,  “for 
such  I  already  deem  it.  I  have  ventured,  in  your  behalf, 
to  plight  your  troth  to  Paul  Powis,  or  what  is  almost  equal 
to  it ;  and  in  return  I  can  give  you  back  as  many  protesta¬ 
tions  of  unequalled  fidelity  and  eternal  constancy,  as  any 
reasonable  girl  can  ask.” 

Eve  gazed  at  her  father  in  a  way  to  show  that  reproach 
was  mingled  with  fondness,  for  she  felt  that,  in  this  instance, 
too  much  of  the  precipitation  of  the  other  sex  had  been 
manifested  in  her  affairs ;  still,  superior  to  coquetry  and 
affectation,  and  much  too  warm  in  her  attachments  to  be 
seriously  hurt,  she  kissed  the  hand  she  held,  shook  her  head 
reproachfully,  even  while  she  smiled,  and  did  as  had  been 
desired. 

“  You  have,  indeed,  rendered  it  important  to  us  to  know 
more  of  Mr.  Powis,  my  beloved  father,”  she  said,  as  she 
returned  to  her  seat,  ‘  ‘  though  I  could  wish  matters  had  not 
proceeded  quite  so  fast.” 

“Nay,  all  I  promised  was  conditional,  and  dependent  on 
yourself.  You  have  nothing  to  do,  if  I  have  said  too  much, 
but  to  refuse  to  ratify  the  treaty  made  by  your  negotiator.” 

“You  propose  an  impossibility,”  said  Eve,  taking  the 
hand  again  that  she  had  so  lately  relinquished,  and  pressing 
it  warmly  between  her  own  ;  ‘ 4  the  negotiator  is  too  much 
revered,  has  too  strong  a  right  to  command,  and  is  too  much 
confided  in,  to  be  thus  dishonored.  Father,  I  will,  I  do, 
ratify  all  you  have,  all  you  can  promise  in  my  behalf.” 

“  Even  if  I  annul  the  treaty,  darling  ?  ” 

“Even  in  that  case,  father.  I  will  marry  none  without 
your  consent,  and  have  so  absolute  a  confidence  in  your 
tender  care  of  me,  that  I  do  not  even  hesitate  to  say  I  will 
marry  him  to  whom  you  contract  me.  ’  ’ 


384 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


“Bless  you,  bless  you,  Eve  ;  I  do  believe  you,  for  such 
have  I  ever  found  you  since  thought  has  had  any  control 
over  your  actions —  Desire  Mr.  John  Effingam  to  come 
hither  ;  ”  then,  as  the  servant  closed  the  door,  he  continued 
— ‘  ‘  and  such  I  believe  you  will  continue  to  be  until  your 
dying  day.” 

“  Nay,  reckless,  careless  father,  you  forget  that  you  your¬ 
self  have  been  instrumental  in  transferring  my  duty  and 
obedience  to  another.  What  if  this  sea-monster  should 
prove  a  tyrant,  throw  off  the  mask,  and  show  himself  in  his 
real  colors?  Are  you  prepared,  then,  thoughtless,  precipi¬ 
tate  parent” —  Eve  kissed  Mr.  Effingham’s  cheek  with 
childish  playfulness,  as  she  spoke,  her  heart  swelling  with 
happiness  the  whole  time,  “  to  preach  obedience  where  obe¬ 
dience  would  then  be  due  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Hush,  precious — I  hear  the  step  of  Jack  ;  he  must  not 
catch  us  fooling  in  this  manner.” 

Eve  rose  ;  and  when  her  kinsman  entered  the  room,  she 
held  out  her  hand  kindly  to  him,  though  it  was  with  an 
averted  face  and  a  tearful  eye. 

“  It  is  time  I  was  summoned,”  said  John  Effingham,  after 
he  had  drawn  the  blushing  girl  to  him  and  kissed  her  fore¬ 
head,  “  for  what  between  tete-a-tetes  with  young  fellows, 
and  tete-d-tetes  with  old  fellows,  this  evening,  I  began  to 
think  myself  neglected.  I  hope  I  am  still  in  time  to  render 
my  decided  disapprobation  available  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Cousin  Jack  !  ”  exclaimed  Eve,  with  a  look  of  reproach¬ 
ful  mockery,  “you  are  the  last  person  who  ought  to  speak 
of  disapprobation,  for  you  have  done  little  else  but  sing  the 
praises  of  the  applicant,  since  you  first  met  him.” 

“Is  it  even  so?  then,  like  others,  I  must  submit  to  the 
consequences  of  my  own  precipitation  and  false  conclusions. 
Am  I  summoned  to  inquire  how  many  thousands  a  year  I 
shall  add  to  the  establishment  of  the  new  couple  ?  As  I 
hate  business,  say  five  at  once :  and  when  the  papers  are 
ready,  I  will  sign  them  without  reading.” 

‘  ‘  Most  generous  cynic,  ’  ’  cried  Eve,  ‘  ‘  I  would  I  dared 
now  to  ask  a  single  question  !  ” 

“  Ask  it  without  a  scruple,  young  lady,  for  this  is  the  day 


Ifoonte  as  jFount) 


385 


of  your  independence  and  power.  I  am  mistaken  in  the 
man,  if  Powis  do  not  prove  to  be  the  captain  of  his  own  ship 
in  the  end.” 

“  Well,  then,  in  whose  behalf  is  this  liberality  really 
meant ;  mine,  or  that  of  the  gentleman  ?  ’  ’ 

“Fairly  enough  put,”  said  John  Effingham,  laughing 
again,  drawing  Eve  towards  him  and  saluting  her  cheek  ; 

“  for  if  I  were  on  the  rack,  I  could  scarcely  say  which  I 

% 

love  best,  although  you  have  the  consolation  of  knowing, 
pert  one,  that  you  get  the  most  kisses.  ’  ’ 

“I  am  almost  in  the  same  state  of  feeling  myself,  John, 
for  a  son  of  my  own  could  scarcely  be  dearer  to  me  than 
Paul.” 

“I  .see,  indeed,  that  I  must  marry,”  said  Eve,  hastily, 
dashing  the  tears  of  delight  from  her  eyes — for  what  could 
give  more  delight  than  to  hear  the  praises  of  her  beloved  ? 
— “if  I  wish  to  retain  my  place  in  your  affections.  But, 
father,  we  forget  the  question  you  were  to  put  to  cousin 
Jack.” 

“  True,  love.  John,  your  mother  was  an  Assheton  ?  ” 

“Assuredly,  Ned;  you  are  not  to  learn  my  pedigree  at 
this  time  of  day,  I  trust.” 

“We  are  anxious  to  make  out  a  relationship  between  you 
and  Paul ;  can  it  not  be  done  ?  ’  * 

“  I  would  give  half  my  fortune,  Eve  consenting,  were  it 
so  !  What  reason  is  there  for  supposing  it  probable,  or 
even  possible  ?  ’  ’ 

“You  know  that  he  bears  the  name  of  his  friend,  and 
adopted  parent,  while  that  of  his  family  is  really 
Assheton.” 

c  ‘  Assheton  !  ’  ’  exclaimed  the  other,  in  a  way  to  show  that 
this  was  the  first  he  had  ever  heard  of  the  fact. 

“  Certainly  ;  and  as  there  is  but  one  family  of  this  name, 
which  is  a  little  peculiar  in  the  spelling— -for  here  it  is 
spelt  by  Paul  himself,  on  this  card — wre  thought  that 
he  must  be  a  relation  of  yours.  I  hope  we  are  not  to  be 
disappointed.” 

“  Assheton  !  It  is,  as  you  say,  an  unusual  name  ;  nor  is 

there  more  than  one  family  that  bears  it  in  this  country,  to 
25 


386 


Ifoome  as  fomb 


my  knowledge.  Can  it  be  possible  that  Powis  is  truly  an 
Assheton  !  ” 

“  Out  of  all  doubt,”  Kve  eagerly  exclaimed  ;  “we  have  it 
from  his  own  mouth.  His  father  was  an  Assheton,  and  his 
mother  was —  ’  ’ 

“Who?”  demanded  John  Effingham,  with  a  vehemence 
that  startled  his  companions. 

“Nay,  that  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  for  he  did  not 
mention  the  family  name  of  his  mother ;  as  she  was  a  sister 
of  Eady  Dunluce,  however,  who  is  the  wife  of  General 
Ducie,  the  father  of  our  guest,  it  is  probable  her  name  was 
Dunluce.  ’  ’ 

“  I  remember  no  relative  that  has  made  such  a  marriage 
or  who  can  have  made  such  a  marriage  ;  and  yet  do  I  person¬ 
ally  and  intimately  know  every  Assheton  in  the  country.” 

Mr.  Effingham  and  his  daughter  looked  at  each  other,  for 
it  at  once  struck  them  all  painfully,  that  there  must  be 
Asshetons  of  another  family. 

“  Were  it  not  for  the  peculiar  manner  in  which  this  name 
is  spelled,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  “  I  could  suppose  that  there 
are  Asshetons  of  whom  we  know  nothing  ;  but  it  is  difficult 
to  believe  that  there  can  be  such  persons  of  a  respectable 
family  of  whom  we  never  heard,  for  Powis  said  his  relatives 
were  of  the  Middle  States — ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  And  that  his  mother  was  called  Dunluce  ?  ’  ’  demanded 
John  Effingham,  earnestly,  for  he  too  appeared  to  wish  to 
discover  an  affinity  between  himself  and  Paul. 

“  Nay,  father,  this  I  think  he  did  not  say;  though  it  is 
quite  probable  ;  for  the  title  of  his  aunt  is  an  ancient  barony, 
and  those  ancient  baronies  usually  became  the  family  name. 

“  In  this  you  must  be  mistaken,  Eve,  since  he  mentioned 
that  the  right  was  derived  through  his  mother’s  mother, 
who  was  an  Englishwoman.” 

“  Why  not  send  for  him  at  once  and  put  the  question  ?  ” 
said  the  simple-minded  Mr.  Effingham  ;  ‘  ‘  next  to  having 
him  for  my  own  son,  it  would  give  me  pleasure,  John,  to 
learn  that  he  was  lawfully  entitled  to  that  which  I  know  you 
have  done  in  his  behalf.” 

“That  is  impossible,”  returned  John  Effingham.  “Iam 


Ibome  as  f*oun& 


387 


an  only  child,  and  as  for  cousins  through  my  mother,  there 
are  so  many  who  stand  in  an  equal  degree  of  affinity  to  me, 
that  no  one  in  particular  can  be  my  heir-at-law.  If  there 
were,  I  am  an  Effingham  ;  my  estate  came  from  Effinghams, 
and  to  an  Effingham  it  should  descend  in  spite  of  all  the 
Asshetons  in  America.” 

‘  ‘  Paul  Powis  included  !  ’  ’  exclaimed  Eve,  raising  a  finger 
reproachfully. 

“  True,  to  him  I  have  left  a  legacy  ;  but  it  was  to  a  Powis, 
and  not  to  an  Assheton.” 

“And  yet  he  declares  himself  legally  an  Assheton,  and 
not  a  Powis.” 

“Say  no  more  of  this,  Eve;  it  is  unpleasant  to  me.  I 
hate  the  name  of  Assheton,  though  it  was  my  mother’s,  and 
could  wish  never  to  hear  it  again.” 

Eve  and  her  father  were  mute,  for  their  kinsman,  usually 
so  proud  and  self- restrained,  spoke  with  suppressed  emotion, 
and  it  was  plain  that,  for  some  hidden  cause,  he  felt  even 
more  than  he  expressed.  The  idea  that  there  should  be 
anything  about  Paul  that  could  render  him  an  object  of 
dislike  to  one  as  dear  to  her  as  her  cousin,  was  inexpressibly 
painful  to  the  former,  and  she  regretted  that  the  subject 
had  ever  been  introduced.  Not  so  with  her  father.  Simple, 
direct,  and  full  of  truth,  Mr.  Effingham  rightly  enough 
believed  that  mysteries  in  a  family  could  lead  to  no  good, 
and  he  repeated  his  proposal  of  sending  for  Paul,  and  having 
the  matter  cleared  up  at  once. 

“You  are  too  reasonable,  Jack,”  he  concluded,  “to  let 
an  antipathy  against  a  name  that  was  your  mother’s  inter¬ 
fere  with  your  sense  of  right.  I  know  that  some  unpleas¬ 
ant  questions  arose  concerning  your  succession  to  my  aunt’s 
fortune,  but  that  was  all  settled  in  your  favor  twenty  years 
ago,  and  I  had  thought  to  your  entire  satisfaction.” 

“  Unhappily,  family  quarrels  are  ever  the  most  bitter,  and 
usually  they  are  the  least  reconcilable,”  returned  John 
Effingham,  evasively.  “  I  would  that  this  young  man’s 
name  were  anything  but  Assheton  !  I  do  not  wish  to  see 
Eve  plighting  her  faith  at  the  altar  to  any  one  bearing  that 
accursed  name  !  ’  ’ 


388 


ifoonte  as  jfounfc 


“  I  shall  plight  my  faith,  if  ever  it  be  done,  dear  cousin 
John,  to  the  man,  and  not  to  his  name.” 

“No,  no — he  must  keep  the  appellation  of  Powis  by 
which  we  have  all  learned  to  love  him,  and  to  which  he  has 
done  so  much  credit.” 

“  This  is  very  strange,  Jack,  for  a  man  who  is  usually  as 
discreet  and  as  well  regulated  as  yourself.  I  again  propose 
that  we  send  for  Paul,  and  ascertain  precisely  to  wThat  branch 
of  this  so-much-disliked  family  he  really  belongs.” 

“  No,  father,  if  you  love  me,  not  now  !  ”  cried  Eve,  arrest¬ 
ing  Mr.  Effingham’s  hand  as  he  touched  the  bell-cord  ;  “it 
would  appear  distrustful,  and  even  cruel  were  we  to  enter 
into  such  an  inquiry  so  soon.  Powis  might  think  we  valued 
his  family  more  than  we  do  himself.  ’  ’ 

“  Eve  is  right,  Ned  ;  but  I  will  not  sleep  without  learning 
all.  There  is  an  unfinished  examination  of  the  papers  left 
by  poor  Monday,  and  I  will  take  an  occasion  to  summon 
Paul  to  its  completion,  when  an  opportunity  will  offer  to 
renew  the  subject  of  his  own  history  ;  for  it  was  at  the  other 
investigation  that  he  first  spoke  frankly  to  me  concerning 
himself.  ’  ’ 

“  Do  so,  cousin  Jack,  and  let  it  be  at  once,”  said  Eve, 
earnestly.  “  I  can  trust  you  with  Powis  alone,  for  I  know 
how  much  you  respect  and  esteem  him  in  your  heart.  See, 
it  is  already  ten.” 

“  But  he  will  naturally  wish  to  spend  the  close  of  an 
evening  like  this  engaged  in  investigating  something  very 
different  from  Mr.  Monday’s  tale,”  returned  her  cousin  ; 
the  smile  with  which  he  spoke  chasing  away  the  look  of 
chilled  aversion  that  had  so  lately  darkened  his  noble 
features. 

“No,  not  to-night,”  answered  the  blushing  Eve.  “I 
have  confessed  weakness  enough  for  one  day.  To-morrow, 
if  you  will — if  he  will — but  not  to-night.  I  shall  retire  with 
Mrs.  Hawker,  who  already  complains  of  fatigue  ;  and  you 
will  send  for  Powis  to  meet  you  in  your  own  room,  without 
unnecessary  delay.” 

Eve  kissed  John  Effingham  coaxingly,  and  as  they 
walked  together  out  of  the  library,  she  pointed  towards  the 


t>ome  as  jfounO 


389 


door  that  led  to  the  chambers.  Her  cousin  laughingly 
complied,  and  when  in  his  own  room,  he  sent  a  message  to 
Paul  to  join  him. 

“  Now,  indeed,  may  I  call  you  a  kinsman,”  said  John  Ef¬ 
fingham,  rising  to  receive  the  young  man,  towards  whom  he 
advanced,  with  extended  hands,  in  his  most  winning  manner. 
‘‘Eve’s  frankness  and  your  own  discernment  have  made  us 
a  happy  family  !  ” 

‘  ‘  If  anything  could  add  to  the  felicity  of  being  acceptable 
to  Miss  Effingham,”  returned  Paul,  struggling  to  command 
his  feelings,  ”  it  is  the  manner  in  which  her  father  and  your¬ 
self  have  received  my  poor  offers.  ’  ’ 

“  Well,  we  will  now  speak  of  it  no  more.  I  saw  from  the 
first  which  way  things  were  tending,  and  it  was  my  plain¬ 
dealing  that  opened  the  eyes  of  Templemore  to  the  impossi¬ 
bility  of  his  ever  succeeding,  by  which  means  his  heart  has 
been  kept  from  breaking.” 

‘‘Oh!  Mr.  Effingham,  Templemore  never  loved  Eve  Ef¬ 
fingham  !  I  thought  so  once,  and  he  thought  so,  too ;  but 
it  could  not  have  been  a  love  like  mine.” 

‘‘It  certainly  differed  in  the  essential  circumstance  of 
reciprocity,  which,  in  itself,  singularly  qualifies  the  passion, 
so  far  as  duration  is  concerned.  Templemore  did  not  ex¬ 
actly  know  the  reason  why  he  preferred  Eve  ;  but,  having 
seen  so  much  of  the  society  in  which  he  lived,  I  was  enabled 
to  detect  the  cause.  Accustomed  to  an  elaborate  sophisti¬ 
cation,  the  singular  union  of  refinement  and  nature  caught 
his  fancy,  for  the  English  seldom  see  the  last  separated  from 
vulgarity  ;  and  when  it  is  found,  softened  by  a  high  intel¬ 
ligence  and  polished  manners,  it  has  usually  great  attrac¬ 
tions  for  the  blasts.  ’  ’ 

He  is  fortunate  in  having  so  readily  found  a  substitute 
for  Eve  Effingham  !  ” 

“  This  change  is  not  unnatural,  either.  In  the  first  place, 
I,  with  this  truth-telling  tongue,  destroyed  all  hope  before 
he  had  committed  himself  by  a  declaration  ;  and  then  Grace 
Van  Cortlandt  possesses  the  great  attraction  of  nature  in  a 
degree  quite  equal  to  that  of  her  cousin.  Besides,  Temple¬ 
more,  though  a  gentleman,  and  a  brave  man,  and  a  worthy 


39° 


Iborne  as  ffounfc 


one,  is  not  remarkable  for  qualities  of  a  very  extraordinary 
kind.  He  will  be  as  happy  as  is  usual  for  an  Englishman 
of  his  class  to  be,  and  he  has  no  particular  right  to  expect 
more.  I  sent  for  you,  however,  less  to  talk  of  love  than  to 
trace  its  unhappy  consequences  in  this  affair,  revealed  by  the 
papers  of  poor  Monday.  It  is  time  we  acquitted  ourselves 
of  that  trust.  Do  me  the  favor  to  open  the  dressing-case 
that  stands  on  the  toilette-table  ;  you  will  find  in  it  the  key 
that  belongs  to  the  bureau,  where  I  have  placed  the  secretaire 
that  contains  the  papers.” 

Paul  did  as  desired.  The  dressing-case  was  complicated 
and  large,  having  several  compartments,  none  of  which  were 
fastened.  In  the  first  opened,  he  saw  a  miniature  of  a  fe¬ 
male  so  beautiful  that  his  eye  rested  on  it,  as  it  might  be,  by 
a  fascination.  Notwithstanding  some  difference  produced 
by  the  fashions  of  different  periods,  the  resemblance  to  the 
object  of  his  love  was  obvious  at  a  glance.  Borne  away 
by  the  pleasure  of  the  discovery,  and  actually  believing  that 
he  saw  a  picture  of  Eve,  drawn  in  a  dress  that  did  not  in  a 
great  degree  vary  from  the  present  attire,  fashion  having 
undergone  no  very  striking  revolution  in  the  last  twenty 
years,  he  exclaimed, — 

“  This  is  indeed  a  treasure,  Mr.  Effingham,  and  most  sin¬ 
cerely  do  I  envy  you  its  possession.  It  is  like,  and  yet,  in 
some  particulars,  it  is  unlike — it  scarcely  does  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham  justice  about  the  nose  and  forehead  !  ” 

John  Effingham  started  when  he  saw  the  miniature  in 
Paul’s  hand,  but,  recovering  himself,  he  smiled  at  the  eager 
delusion  of  his  j^oung  friend,  and  said  with  perfect  com¬ 
posure, — 

“It  is  not  Eve,  but  her  mother.  The  two  features  you 
have  named  in  the  former  came  from  my  family  ;  but  in  all 
the  others  the  likeness  is  almost  identical.” 

“  This  then  is  Mrs.  Effingham  !  ”  murmured  Paul,  gazing 
on  the  face  of  the  mother  of  his  love  with  a  respectful  melan¬ 
choly,  and  an  interest  that  was  rather  heightened  than  lessened 
by  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  “  She  died  young,  sir  ?  ” 

“  Quite  ;  she  can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  become  an  angel 
too  soon,  for  she  was  always  one.” 


1 borne  as  tfonnb 


391 


This  was  said  with  a  feeling  that  did  not  escape  Paul, 
though  it  surprised  him.  There  were  six  or  seven  minia¬ 
ture-cases  in  the  compartment  of  the  dressing-box,  and  sup¬ 
posing  that  the  one  which  lay  uppermost  belonged  to  the 
miniature  in  his  hand,  he  raised  it  and  opened  the  lid  with 
a  view  to  replace  the  picture  of  Eve’s  mother  with  a  .species 
of  pious  reverence.  Instead  of  finding  an  empty  case,  how¬ 
ever,  another  miniature  met  his  eye.  The  exclamation 
that  now  escaped  the  young  man  was  one  of  delight  and 
surprise. 

That  must  be  my  grandmother  with  whom  you  are 
in  such  raptures  at  present,”  said  John  Effingham,  laughing. 
“  I  was  comparing  it  yesterday  with  the  picture  of  Eve, 
which  is  in  the  Russia-leather  case  that  you  will  find  some¬ 
where  there.  I  do  not  wonder,  however,  at  your  admira¬ 
tion,  for  she  was  a  beauty  in  her  day,  and  no  woman  is  fool 
enough  to  be  painted  after  .she  grows  ugly.” 

“Not  so — not  so — Mr.  Effingham  !  This  is  the  mnr 
iature  I  lost  in  the  Montauk,  and  which  I  had  given  up  as 
booty  to  the  Arabs.  It  has,  doubtless,  found  its  way  into 
your  state-room,  and  has  been  put  among  your  effects  by 
your  man  through  mistake.  It  is  very  precious  to  me,  for 
it  is  nearly  every  memorial  I  possess  of  my  own  mother  !  ’  ’ 

“Your  mother!”  exclaimed  John  Effingham,  rising. 
‘‘I  think  there  must  be  some  mistake,  for  I  examined  all 
those  pictures  this  very  morning,  and  it  is  the  first  time  they 
have  been  opened  since  our  arrival  from  Europe.  It  cannot 
be  the  missing  picture.” 

“  Mine  it  is  certainly  ;  in  that  I  cannot  be  mistaken  !  ” 

”  It  would  be  odd  indeed,  if  one  of  my  grandmothers,  for 
both  are  there,  should  prove  to  be  your  mother.  Powis, 
will  you  have  the  goodness  to  let  me  see  the  picture  you 
mean.” 

Paul  brought  the  miniature  and  a  light,  placing  both  be¬ 
fore  the  eyes  of  his  friend. 

“  That  !  ”  exclaimed  John  Effingham,  his  voice  sounding 
harsh  and  unnatural  to  the  listener, — “that  picture  like  your 
mother  !  ” 

“  It  is  her  miniature— the  miniature  that  was  transmitted 


392 


Dome  as  jfounfc 


to  me  from  those  who  had  charge  of  my  childhood.  I  can¬ 
not  be  mistaken  as  to  the  countenance  or  the  dress.” 

“And  your  father’s  name  was  Assheton  ?  ” 

“Certainly — -John  Assheton,  of  the  Asshetons  of  Penn¬ 
sylvania.” 

John  Effingham  groaned  aloud ;  when  Paul  stepped 
back,  equally  shocked  and  surprised,  he  saw  that  the  face 
of  his  friend  was  almost  livid,  and  that  the  hand  which  held 
the  picture  shook  like  the  aspen. 

“  Are  you  unwell,  dear  Mr.  Effingham?  ” 

“  No — no — ’  t  is  impossible  !  This  lady  never  had  a  child. 
Powis,  you  have  been  deceived  by  some  fancied  or  some  real 
resemblance.  This  picture  is  mine,  and  has  not  been  out  of 
my  possession  these  five- and- twenty  years.” 

“  Pardon  me,  sir,  it  is  the  picture  of  my  mother,  and  no 
other  ;  the  very  picture  lost  in  the  Montauk.” 

The  gaze  that  John  Effingham  cast  upon  the  young  man 
was  ghastly  ;  and  Paul  was  about  to  ring  the  bell,  but  a 
gesture  of  denial  prevented  him. 

“See  !  ”  said  John  Effingham,  hoarsely,  as  he  touched  a 


spring  in  the  setting,  and  exposed  to  view  the  initials  of 
two  names  interwoven  with  hair — “  is  this,  too,  yours  ?  ” 

Paul  looked  surprised  and  disappointed. 

‘  ‘  That  certainly  settles  the  question  ;  my  miniature  had 
no  such  addition  ;  and  yet  I  believe  that  sweet  and  pensive 
countenance  to  be  the  face  of  my  own  beloved  mother,  and 
of  no  one  else.” 

John  Effingham  struggled  to  appear  calm  ;  and  replacing 
the  pictures,  he  took  the  key  from  the  dressing-case,  and, 
opening  the  bureau,  he  took  out  the  secretaire.  This  he 
signed  for  Powis,  who  had  the  key,  to  open  ;  throwing 
himself  into  a  chair,  though  everything  was  done  mechan¬ 


ically,  as  if  his  mind  and  body  had  little  or  no  connection 
with  each  other. 

“Some  accidental  resemblance  has  deceived  you  as  to  the 
miniature,”  he  said,  while  Paul  was  looking  for  the  proper 
number  among  the  letters  of  Mr.  Monday.  “  No  no  that 
cannot  be  the  picture  of  your  mother.  She  left  no  child. 
Assheton,  did  you  say,  was  the  name  of  your  father  ? 


Ibonte  as  tfounfc 


393 


“Assheton — John  Assheton — about  that,  at  least,  there 
can  have  been  no  mistake.  This  is  the  number  at  which 
we  left  off — will  you,  sir,  or  shall  I,  read  ?  ” 

The  other  made  a  sign  for  Paul  to  read  ;  looking  at  the 
same  time,  as  if  it  were  impossible  for  him  to  discharge  that 
duty  himself. 

“  This  is  a  letter  from  the  woman  who  appears  to  have 
been  entrusted  with  the  child,  to  the  man  Dowse,”  said 
Paul,  first  glancing  his  eyes  over  the  page, — “it  appears 
to  be  little  else  but  gossip — ha  ! — what  is  this  I  see  ?  ’  ’ 

John  Effingham  raised  himself  in  his  chair,  and  he  sat 
gazing  at  Paul  as  one  gazes  who  expects  some  extraordi¬ 
nary  development,  though  of  what  nature  he  knew  not. 

“This  is  a  singular  passage,”  Paul  continued,  “  so  much 
so  as  to  need  elucidation.  ‘  I  have  taken  the  child  with  me 
to  get  the  picture  from  the  jeweller,  who  has  mended  the 
ring,  and  the  little  urchin  knew  it  at  a  glance.” 

*  *  What  is  there  remarkable  in  that  ?  Others  besides  our¬ 
selves  have  had  pictures  ;  and  this  child  knows  its  own 
better  than  you.” 

“  Mr.  Effingham,  such  a  thing  occurred  to  myself!  It  is 
one  of  those  early  events  of  which  I  still  retain,  have  ever 
retained,  a  vivid  recollection.  Though  little  more  than  an 
infant  at  the  time,  well  do  I  recollect  to  have  been  taken  in 
this  manner  to  a  jeweller’s  and  the  delight  I  felt  at  recover¬ 
ing  my  mother’s  picture,  that  which  is  now  lost,  after  it  had 
not  been  seen  for  a  month  or  two.” 

“Paul  Blunt — Powis — Assheton,”  said  John  Effingham, 
speaking  so  hoarsely  as  to  be  nearly  unintelligible,  “  remain 
here  a  few  minutes — I  will  rejoin  you.” 

John  Effingham  arose,  and,  notwithstanding  he  rallied  all 
his  powers,  it  was  with  extreme  difficulty  he  succeeded  in 
reaching  the  door,  steadily  rejecting  the  offered  assistance 
of  Paul,  who  was  at  a  loss  what  to  think  of  so  much  agita¬ 
tion  in  a  man  usually  so  self-possessed  and  tranquil.  When 
out  of  the  room  John  Effingham  did  better,  and  he  pro¬ 
ceeded  to  the  library,  followed  by  his  own  man,  whom  he 
had  ordered  to  accompany  him  with  a  light. 

“  Desire  Captain  Ducie  to  give  me  the  favor  of  his  com- 


394 


Ibome  as  jfounD 


pany  for  a  moment,  ’  ’  he  then  said,  motioning  to  the  servant 
to  withdraw.  “  You  will  not  be  needed  any  longer.” 

It  was  but  a  moment  before  Captain  Ducie  stood  before 
him.  This  gentleman  was  instantly  struck  with  the  pallid 
look  and  general  agitation  of  the  person  he  had  come  to 
meet,  and  he  expressed  an  apprehension  that  he  was  sud¬ 
denly  taken  ill.  But  a  motion  of  the  hand  forbade  his 
touching  the  bell-cord,  and  he  waited  in  silent  wonder  at 
the  scene  which  he  had  been  so  unexpectedly  called  to 
witness. 

“A  glass  of  that  water,  if  you  please,  Captain  Ducie,” 
said  John  Effingham,  endeavoring  to  smile  with  gentleman¬ 
like  courtesy  as  he  made  the  request,  though  the  effort 
caused  his  countenance  to  appear  ghastly  again.  A  little 
recovered  by  this  beverage,  he  said  more  steadily, — 

“  You  are  the  cousin  of  Powis,  Captain  Ducie  ?  ” 

“  We  are  sisters’  children,  sir.” 

‘  ‘  And  your  mother  is — ’  ’ 

“  Lady  Dunluce — a  peeress  in  her  own  right.” 

“  But  what — her  family  name  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  Her  own  family  name  has  been  sunk  in  that  of  my 
father,  the  Ducies  claiming  to  be  as  old  and  as  honorable 
a  family  as  that  from  which  my  mother  inherits  her  rank. 
Indeed,  the  Dunluce  barony  has  gone  through  so  many 
names,  by  means  of  females,  that  I  believe  there  is  no  inten¬ 
tion  to  revive  the  original  appellation  of  the  family  which 
was  first  summoned.  ’  ’ 

‘‘You  mistake  me — your  mother — when  she  married — 
was — ’  ’ 

“  Miss  Warrender.” 

“T  thank  you,  sir,  and  will  trouble  you  no  longer,” 
returned  John  Effingham,  rising,  and  struggling  to  make  his 
manner  second  the  courtesy  of  his  words  ;  “I  have  troubled 
you  abruptly — incoherently,  I  fear — your  arm — ” 

Captain  Ducie  stepped  hastily  forward,  and  was  just  in 
time  to  prevent  the  other  from  falling  senseless  on  the  floor, 
by  receiving  him  in  his  own  arms. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


“  What ’s  Hecuba  to  him,  or  he  to  Hecuba, 
That  he  should  weep  for  her.” 


Hamlet. 


THE  next  morning,  Paul  and  Eve  were  alone  in  that 
library  which  had  long  been  the  scene  of  the  con¬ 
fidential  communications  of  the  Effingham  family. 
Eve  had  been  weeping,  nor  were  Paul’s  eyes 
entirely  free  from  the  signs  of  his  having  given  way  to  strong 
sensations.  Still  happiness  beamed  in  the  countenance  of 
each,  and  the  timid  but  affectionate  glances  with  which  our 
heroine  returned  the  fond,  admiring  look  of  her  lover,  were 
anything  but  distrustful  of  their  future  felicity.  Her  hand 
was  in  his,  and  it  was  often  raised  to  his  lips,  as  they  pur¬ 
sued  the  conversation. 

“  This  is  so  wonderful,”  exclaimed  Eve,  after  one  of  the 
frequent  musing  pauses  in  which  both  indulged,  “  that  I  can 
scarcely  believe  myself  awake.  That  you,  Blunt,  Powis, 
Assheton,  should,  after  all,  prove  an  Effingham  !  ” 

“  And  that  I,  who  have  so  long  thought  myself  an  orphan, 
should  find  a  living  father,  and  he  a  man  like  Mr.  John 
Effingham  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  have  long  thought  that  something  heavy  lay  at  the 
honest  heart  of  cousin  Jack — you  will  excuse  me,  Powis,  but 
I  shall  need  time  to  learn  to  call  him  by  a  name  of  greater 
respect.” 

“  Call  him  always  so,  love,  for  I  am  certain  it  would  pain 
him  to  meet  with  any  change  in  you.  He  is  your  cousin 
Jack.” 

“  Nay,  he  may  some  day  unexpectedly  become  my  father 
too,  as  he  has  so  wonderfully  become  yours,”  rejoined  Eve, 


396 


Hjome  as  ffounb 


glancing  archly  at  the  glowing  face  of  the  delighted  young 
man  ;  “  and  then  cousin  Jack  might  prove  too  familiar  and 
disrespectful  a  term.” 

‘  ‘  So  much  stronger  does  your  claim  to  him  appear  than 
mine,  that  I  think,  when  that  blessed  day  shall  arrive,  Eve, 
it  will  convert  him  into  my  cousin  Jack,  instead  of  your 
father.  But  call  him  as  you  may,  why  do  yon  still  insist  on 
calling  me  Powis  ?  ’  ’ 

“That  name  will  ever  be  precious  in  my  eyes!  You 
abridge  me  of  my  rights,  in  denying  me  a  change  of  name. 
Half  the  young  ladies  of  the  country  marry  for  the  novelty 
of  being  called  Mrs.  Somebody  else,  instead  of  the  Misses 
they  were,  while  I  am  condemned  to  remain  Eve  Effingham 
for  life.” 

“  If  you  object  to  the  appellation,  I  can  continue  to  call 
myself  Powis.  This  has  been  done  so  long  now  as  almost 
to  legalize  the  act.” 

“  Indeed,  no — you  are  an  Effingham,  and  as  an  Effingham 
ought  you  to  be  known.  What  a  happy  lot  is  mine  !  Spared 
even  the  pain  of  parting  with  my  old  friends,  at  the  great 
occurrence  of  my  life,  and  finding  my  married  home  the 
same  as  the  home  of  my  childhood  !  ’  ’ 

“I  owe  everything  to  }rou,  Eve — name,  happiness,  and 
even  a  home.” 

“I  know  not  that.  Now  that  it  is  known  that  you  are 
the  great-grandson  of  Edward  Effingham,  I  think  your 
chance  of  possessing  the  Wigwam  would  be  quite  equal  to 
my  own,  even  were  we  to  look  different  ways  in  quest  of  mar¬ 
ried  happiness.  An  arrangement  of  that  nature  would  not 
be  difficult  to  make,  as  John  Effingham  might  easily  com¬ 
pensate  a  daughter  for  the  loss  of  her  house  and  lands  by 
means  of  those  money -yielding  stocks  and  bonds,  of  which 
he  possesses  so  many.” 

“  I  view  it  differently.  You  were  Mr. — myr  father’s  heir 
— how  strangely  the  word  father  sounds  in  unaccustomed 
ears  !  But  you  were  my  father’s  chosen  heir,  and  I  shall 
owe  to  you,  dearest,  in  addition  to  the  treasures  of  your  heart 
and  faith,  my  fortune.” 

“  Are  you  so  very  certain  of  this,  ingrate?  Did  not  Mr. 


tbome  as  fount) 


397 


John  Effingham— cousin  Jack— adopt  you  as  his  son  even 
before  he  knew  of  the  natural  tie  that  actually  exists 
between  you  ?  ’  ’ 

“  True,  for  I  perceive  that  you  have  been  made  ac¬ 
quainted  with  most  of  that  which  has  passed.  But  I  hope, 
that  in  telling  you  his  own  offer,  Mr.— that  my  father  did 
not  forget  to  tell  you  of  the  terms  on  which  it  was 
accepted  ?  ’  ’ 

“  He  did  you  ample  justice,  for  he  informed  me  that  you 
stipulated  there  should  be  no  altering  of  wills,  but  that  the 
unworthy  heir  already  chosen  should  still  remain  the  heir.” 

“  And  to  this  Mr. — ” 

Cousin  Jack,”  said  Eve,  laughing,  for  the  laugh  comes 
easy  to  the  supremely  happy. 

“To  this  cousin  Jack  assented ?  ” 

Most  true,  again.  The  will  would  not  have  been 
altered,  for  your  interests  were  already  cared  for.” 

And  at  the  expense  of  yours,  dearest  Eve  !  ’  ’ 

“  It  would  have  been  at  the  expense  of  my  better  feelings, 
Paul,  had  it  not  been  so.  However,  that  will  can  never  do 
either  harm  or  good  to  any  now.” 

“  I  trust  it  will  remain  unchanged,  beloved,  that  I  may 
owe  as  much  to  you  as  possible.  ’  ’ 

Eve  looked  kindly  at  her  betrothed,  blushed  even  deeper 
than  the  bloom  which  happiness  had  left  on  her  cheek,  and 
smiled  like  one  who  knew  more  than  she  cared  to  express. 

“  What  secret  meaning  is  concealed  behind  that  look  of 
portentous  signification  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  H  means,  Powis,  that  I  have  done  a  deed  that  is  almost 
criminal.  I  have  destroyed  a  will.” 

“Not  my  father’s  !  ” 

Even  so — but  it  was  done  in  his  presence,  and  if  not 
absolutely  with  his  consent,  with  his  knowledge.  When  he 
informed  me  of  your  superior  rights,  I  insisted  on  its  being 
done  at  once,  so,  should  any  accident  occur,  you  will  be 
heir-at-law,  as  a  matter  of  cour.se.  Cousin  Jack  affected 
reluctance,  but  I  believe  he  slept  more  sweetly,  for  the  con¬ 
sciousness  that  this  act  of  justice  had  been  done.” 

‘  ‘  I  fear  he  slept  little  as  it  was  ;  it  was  long  past  midnight 


398 


Ibonte  as  jfounfc 


before  I  left  him,  and  the  agitation  of  his  spirits  was  such  as 
to  appear  awful  in  the  eyes  of  a  son  ! 

‘  ‘  And  the  promised  explanation  is  to  come,  to  renew  his 
distress  !  Why  make  it  at  all  ?  is  it  not  enough  that  we 
are  certain  that  you  are  his  child  ?  and  for  that,  have  we 
not  the  solemn  assurance,  the  declaration  of  almost  a  dying 
man  !  ” 

“There  should  be  no  shade  left  over  my  mother’s  fame. 
Faults  there  have  been,  somewhere,  but  it  is  painful,  oh  ! 
how  painful  !  for  a  child  to  think  evil  of  a  mother.” 

“  On  this  head  you  are  already  assured.  Your  owTn  pre¬ 
vious  knowledge,  and  John  Effingham’s  distinct  declarations, 
make  your  mother  blameless.” 

“Beyond  question;  but  this  sacrifice  must  be  made  to 
my  mother’s  spirit.  It  is  now  nine;  the  breakfast-bell  will 
soon  ring,  and  then  we  are  promised  the  whole  of  the  mel¬ 
ancholy  tale.  Pray  with  me,  Eve,  that  it  may  be  such  as 
will  not  wound  the  ear  of  a  son  !  ’  ’ 

Eve  took  the  hand  of  Paul  within  both  of  hers,  and 
kissed  it  with  a  sort  of  holy  hope,  that  in  its  exhibition 
caused  neither  blush  nor  shame.  Indeed,  so  bound  together 
were  these  young  hearts,  so  ample  and  confiding  had  been 
the  confessions  of  both,  and  so  pure  was  their  love,  that 
neither  regarded  such  a  manifestation  of  feeling  differently 
from  what  an  acknowledgment  of  a  dependence  on  any 
other  sacred  principle  would  have  been  esteemed.  The 
bell  now  summoned  them  to  the  breakfast-table,  and  Eve, 
yielding  to  her  sex’s  timidity,  desired  Paul  to  precede  her  a 
few  minutes,  that  the  sanctity  of  their  confidence  might  not 
be  weakened  by  the  observation  of  profane  eyes. 

The  meal  was  silent ;  the  discovery  of  the  previous  night, 
which  had  been  made  known  to  all  in  the  house,  by  the  dec¬ 
larations  of  John  Effingham  as  soon  as  he  was  restored  to 
his  senses,  Captain  Ducie  having  innocently  collected  those 
within  hearing  to  his  succor,  causing  a  sort  of  moral  suspense 
that  weighed  on  the  vivacity  if  not  on  the  comforts  of  the 
whole  party,  the  lovers  alone  excepted. 

As  profound  happiness  is  seldom  talkative,  the  meal  was 
a  silent  one,  then  ;  and  when  it  was  ended,  they  who  had 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


399 


no  tie  of  blood  with  the  parties  most  concerned  with  the 
revelations  of  the  approaching  interview,  delicately  sepa¬ 
rated,  making  employments  and  engagements  that  left  the 
family  at  perfect  liberty  ;  while  those  who  had  been  previ¬ 
ously  notified  that  their  presence  would  be  acceptable, 
silently  repaired  to  the  dressing-room  of  John  Effingham. 
The  latter  party  was  composed  of  Mr.  Effingham,  Paul, 
and  Eve,  only.  The  first  passed  into  his  cousin’s  bedroom, 
where  he  had  a  private  conference  that  lasted  half  an  hour. 
At  the  end  of  that  time,  the  two  others  were  summoned  to 
join  him. 

John  Effingham  was  a  strong-minded  and  a  proud  man, 
his  governing  fault  being  the  self-reliance  that  indisposed 
him  to  throw  himself  on  a  greater  power  for  the  support, 
guidance,  and  counsel,  that  all  need.  To  humiliation  before 
God,  however,  he  was  not  unused,  and  of  late  years  it  had 
got  to  be  frequent  with  him,  and  it  was  only  in  connection 
with  his  fellow-creatures  that  his  repugnance  to  admitting 
even  of  an  equality  existed.  He  felt  how  much  more  just, 
intuitive,  conscientious  even,  were  his  own  views  than  those 
of  mankind  in  general ;  and  he  seldom  deigned  to  consult 
with  any  as  to  the  opinions  he  ought  to  entertain,  or  as  to 
the  conduct  he  ought  to  pursue.  It  is  scarcely  necessary 
to  say,  that  such  a  being  was  one  of  strong  and  engrossing  * 
passions,  the  impulses  frequently  proving  too  imperious  for 
the  affections,  or  even  for  principles.  The  scene  that  he 
was  now  compelled  to  go  through,  was  consequently  one  of 
sore  mortification  and  self-abasement ;  and  yet,  feeling  its 
justice  no  less  than  its  necessity,  and  having  made  up  his 
mind  to  discharge  what  had  now  become  a  duty,  his  very 
pride  of  character  led  him  to  do  it  manfully,  and  with  no 
uncalled-for  reserves.  It  was  a  painful  and  humiliating 
task,  notwithstanding  ;  and  it  required  all  the  self-command, 
all  the  sense  of  right,  and  all  the  clear  perception  of  conse¬ 
quences,  that  one  so  quick  to  discriminate  could  not  avoid 
perceiving,  to  enable  him  to  go  through  it  with  the  required 
steadiness  and  connection. 

John  Effingham  received  Paul  and  Eve,  seated  in  an  easy 
chair ;  for,  while  he  could  not  be  said  to  be  ill,  it  was  evi- 


400 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


dent  that  liis  very  frame  had  been  shaken  by  the  events  and 
emotions  of  the  few  preceding  hours.  He  gave  a  hand 
to  each,  and  drawing  Eve  affectionately  to  him,  he  imprinted 
a  kiss  on  a  cheek  that  was  burning,  though  it  paled  and 
reddened  in  quick  succession,  the  heralds  of  the  tumultuous 
thoughts  within.  The  look  he  gave  Paul  was  kind  and 
welcome,  while  a  hectic  spot  glowed  on  each  cheek,  betray¬ 
ing  that  his  presence  excited  pain  as  well  as  pleasure.  A 
long  pause  succeeded  this  meeting,  when  John  Effingham 
broke  the  silence. 

‘  ‘  There  can  now  be  no  manner  of  question,  my  dear  Paul,  ’  ’ 
he  said,  smiling  affectionately  but  sadly,  as  he  looked  at  the 
young  man,  “  about  your  being  my  son.  The  letter  written 
by  John  Assheton  to  your  mother,  after  the  separation  of 
your  parents,  would  settle  that  important  point,  had  not  the 
names,  and  the  other  facts  that  have  come  to  our  knowledge, 
already  convinced  me  of  the  precious  truth  ;  for  precious  and 
very  dear  to  me  is  the  knowledge  that  I  am  the  father  of  so 
worthy  a  child.  You  must  prepare  yourself  to  hear  things 
that  it  will  not  be  pleasant  for  a  son  to  listen — ’  ’ 

“No,  no,  cousin  Jack— dear  cousin  Jack!”  cried  Eve, 
throwing  herself  precipitately  into  her  kinsman’s  arms,  “  we 
will  hear  nothing  of  the  sort.  It  is  sufficient  that  you  are 
Paul’s  father,  and  we  wish  to  know  no  more— will  hear  no 
more.” 

“  This  is  like  yourself,  Eve,  but  it  will  not  answer  what  I 
conceive  to  be  the  dictates  of  duty.  Paul  had  two  parents, 
and  not  the  slightest  suspicion  ought  to  rest  on  one  of  them 
in  order  to  spare  the  feelings  of  the  other.  In  showing  me 
this  kindness  you  are  treating  Paul  inconsiderately. 

“  I  beg,  dear  sir,  you  will  not  think  too  much  of  me,  but 
entirely  consult  your  own  judgment — your  own  sense  of— 
in  short,  dear  father,  that  you  will  consider  yourself  before 
your  son.” 

“  I  thank  you,  my  children  ;  what  a  word  and  what  a 
novel  sensation  is  this  for  me,  Ned  !  I  feel  all  your  kind¬ 
ness  ;  but  if  you  would  consult  my  peace  of  mind  and  wish 
me  to  regain  my  self-respect,  you  will  allow  me  to  disbur¬ 
den  my  soul  of  the  weight  that  oppresses  it.  This  is  strong 


Ifoome  as  jfounfc 


40  ] 


language  ;  but  while  I  have  no  confessions  of  deliberate 
criminality  or  of  positive  vice  to  make,  I  feel  it  to  be  hardly 
too  strong  for  the  facts.  My  tale  will  be  very  short,  and  I 
crave  your  patience,  Ned,  while  I  expose  my  former  weak¬ 
ness  to  these  young  people.  ’ ’  Here  John  Effingham  paused, 
as  if  to  recollect  himself ;  then  he  proceeded  with  a  serious¬ 
ness  of  manner  that  caused  every  syllable  he  uttered  to  tell 
on  the  ears  of  his  listeners.  “It  is  well  known  to  your 
father,  Eve,  though  it  will  probably  be  new  to  you,”  he 
said,  “  that  I  felt  a  passion  for  your  sainted  mother,  such  as 
few  men  ever  experience  for  any  of  your  sex.  Your  father 
and  myself  were  suitors  for  her  favor  at  the  same  time, 
though  I  can  scarcely  say,  Edward,  that  any  feeling  of 
rivalry  entered  into  the  competition.” 

“  You  do  me  no  more  than  justice,  John,  for  if  the  affec¬ 
tion  of  my  beloved  Eve  could  cause  me  grief,  it  was  because 
it  brought  you  pain.” 

‘  ‘  I  had  the  additional  mortification  of  approving  of  the 
choice  she  made  ;  for,  certainly,  as  respected  her  own  hap¬ 
piness,  your  mother  did  more  wisely  in  confiding  it  to  the 
regulated,  mild,  and  manly  virtues  of  your  father,  than  in 
placing  her  hopes  on  one  as  eccentric  and  violent  as  my¬ 
self.” 

“  This  is  injustice,  John.  You  may  have  been  positive, 
and  a  little  stern  at  times,  but  never  violent,  and  least  of  all 
with  a  woman.” 

“Call  it  what  you  will,  it  unfitted  me  to  make  one  so 
meek,  gentle,  and  yet  high-souled,  as  entirely  happy  as  she 
deserved  to  be,  and  as  you  did  make  her,  while  she  remained 
on  earth.  I  had  the  courage  to  stay  and  learn  that  your 
father  was  accepted  (though  the  marriage  was  deferred  two 
years  in  consideration  for  my  feelings),  and  then,  with  a 
heart  embittered  by  mortified  pride,  wounded  love,  and  a 
resentment  that  was  aimed  rather  against  myself  than  against 
your  parents,  I  quitted  home  with  a  desperate  determination 
never  to  rejoin  my  family  again.  This  resolution  I  did  not 
own  to  myself  even,  but  it  lurked  in  my  intentions  unowned, 
festering  like  a  mortal  disease ;  and  it  caused  me,  when  I 
burst  away  from  the  scene  of  happiness  of  which  I  had  been 


462 


Ibome  as  jfounb 


a  compelled  witness,  to  change  my  name,  and  to  make  sev¬ 
eral  inconsistent  and  extravagant  arrangements  to  abandon 
my  native  country  even.” 

“  Poor  John  !  ”  exclaimed  his  cousin,  involuntarily  ;  “  this 
would  have  been  a  sad  blot  on  our  felicity,  had  we  known  it !  ” 

“  I  was  certain  of  that,  even  when  most  writhing  under 
the  blow  you  had  so  unintentionally  inflicted,  Ned  ;  but  the 
passions  are  tyrannical  and  inconsistent  masters.  I  took  my 
mother’s  name,  changed  my  servant,  and  avoided  those  parts 
of  the  country  where  I  was  known.  At  this  time  I  feared 
for  my  own  reason,  and  the  thought  crossed  my  mind,  that 
by  making  a  sudden  marriage  I  might  supplant  the  old  pas¬ 
sion,  which  was  so  near  destroying  me,  by  some  of  that 
gentler  affection  which  seemed  to  render  you  so  blest,  Ed¬ 
ward.” 

“Nay,  John,  this  was  itself  a  temporary  tottering  of  the 
reasoning  faculties.  ’  ’ 

“  It  was  simply  the  effect  of  passions,  over  which  reason 
had  never  been  taught  to  exercise  a  sufficient  influence. 
Chance  brought  me  acquainted  with  Miss  Warrender,  in  one 
of  the  Southern  States,  and  she  promised,  as  I  fancied,  to 
realize  all  my  wild  schemes  of  happiness  and  resentment.” 

“  Resentment,  John  ?  ” 

“  I  fear  I  must  confess  it,  Edward,  though  it  were  anger 
against  myself.  I  first  made  Miss  Warrender’ s  acquaintance 
as  John  Assheton,  and  some  months  had  passed  before  I 
determined  to  try  the  fearful  experiment  I  have  mentioned. 
She  was  young,  beautiful,  well-born,  virtuous,  and  good  ;  if 
she  had  a  fault  it  was  her  high  spirit,  not  high  temper,  but 
she  was  high-souled  and  proud.” 

“Thank  God  for  this!”  burst  from  the  inmost  soul  of 
Paul,  with  unrestrainable  feeling. 

“  You  have  little  to  apprehend,  my  son,  on  the  subject  of 
your  mother’s  character  ;  if  not  perfect,  she  was  wanting  in 
no  womanly  virtue,  and  might,  nay  ought  to  have  made 
any  reasonable  man  happy.  My  offer  was  accepted,  for  I 
found  her  heart  disengaged.  Miss  Warrender  was  not 
affluent,  and  in  addition  to  the  other  unjustifiable  motives 
that  influenced  me,  I  thought  there  wTould  be  a  satisfaction 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


403 


in  believing  that  I  had  been  chosen  for  myself  rather  than 
for  my  wealth.  Indeed,  I  had  got  to  be  distrustful  and 
ungenerous,  and  then  I  disliked  the  confession  of  the  weak¬ 
ness  that  had  induced  me  to  change  my  name.  The  sim¬ 
ple,  I  might  almost  say  loose  laws  of  this  country,  on  the 
subject  of  marriage,  removed  all  necessity  for  explanations, 
there  being  no  bans  nor  license  necessary,  and  the  Christian 
name  only  being  used  in  the  ceremony.  We  were  married, 
therefore,  but  I  was  not  so  unmindful  of  the  rights  of  others 
as  to  neglect  to  procure  a  certificate,  under  a  promise  of 
secrecy,  in  my  own  name.  By  going  to  the  place  where 
the  ceremony  was  performed,  you  will  also  find  the  marriage 
of  John  Effingham  and  Mildred  Warrender  duly  registered 
in  the  books  of  the  church  to  which  the  officiating  clergy¬ 
man  belonged.  So  far  I  did  what  justice  required,  though, 
with  a  motiveless  infatuation  for  which  I  can  now  hardly 
account, — which  cannot  be  accounted  for  except  by  ascrib¬ 
ing  it  to  the  inconsistent  cruelty  of  passion, — I  concealed 
my  real  name  from  her  with  whom  there  should  have  been 
no  concealment.  I  fancied,  I  tried  to  fancy  I  was  no  impos¬ 
tor,  as  I  was  of  the  family  I  represented  myself  to  be,  by 
the  mother’s  side ;  and  I  wished  to  believe  that  my  peace 
would  easily  be  made  when  I  avowed  myself  to  be  the  man 
I  really  was.  I  had  found  Miss  Warrender  and  her  sister 
living  with  a  well-intentioned  but  weak  aunt,  and  with  no 
male  relative  to  make  those  inquiries  which  would  so  natu¬ 
rally  have  suggested  themselves  to  persons  of  ordinary 
worldly  prudence.  It  is  true,  I  had  become  known  to  them 
under  favorable  circumstances,  and  they  had  good  reason  to 
believe  me  an  Assheton  from  some  accidental  evidence  that 
I  possessed,  which  unanswerably  proved  my  affinity  to  that 
family,  without  betraying  my  true  name.  But  there  is  so 
little  distrust  in  this  country,  that  by  keeping  at  a  distance 
from  the  places  in  which  I  was  personally  known,  a  life 
might  have  passed  without  exposure.” 

“  This  was  all  wrong,  dear  cousin  Jack,”  said  Eve,  taking 
his  hand  and  affectionately  kissing  it,  while  her  face  kindled 
with  a  sense  of  her  sex’s  rights,  “  and  I  should  be  unfaithful 
to  my  womanhood  were  I  to  say  otherwise.  You  had  en- 


404 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


terecl  into  the  most  solemn  of  all  human  contracts,  and  evil 
is  the  omen  when  such  an  engagement  is  veiled  by  any 
untruth.  But,  still,  one  would  think  you  might  have  been 
happy  with  a  virtuous  and  affectionate  wife  !  ’  ’ 

“Alas!  it  is  but  a  hopeless  experiment  to  marry  one, 
while  the  heart  is  still  yearning  towards  another.  Confi¬ 
dence  came  too  late  ;  for,  discovering  my  unhappiness,  Mil¬ 
dred  extorted  a  tardy  confession  from  me  ;  a  confession  of 
all  but  the  concealment  of  the  true  name  ;  and  j  ustly  wounded 
at  the  deception  of  which  she  had  been  the  dupe,  and  yield¬ 
ing  to  the  impulses  of  a  high  and  generous  spirit,  she  an¬ 
nounced  to  me  that  she  was  unwilling  to  continue  the  wife 
of  any  man  on  such  terms.  We  parted,  and  I  hastened  into 
the  Southwestern  States,  where  I  passed  the  next  twelve- 
month  in  travelling,  hurrying  from  place  to  place,  in  the 
vain  hope  of  obtaining  peace  of  mind.  I  plunged  into  the 
prairies,  and  most  of  the  time  mentioned  was  lost  to  me  as 
respects  the  world,  in  the  company  of  hunters  and  trappers.” 

“This,  then,  explains  your  knowledge  of  that  section  of 
the  country,”  exclaimed  Mr.  Effingham,  “  for  which  I  have 
never  been  able  to  account  !  We  thought  you  among  your 
old  friends  in  Carolina  all  that  time.” 

“  No  one  knew  where  I  had  secreted  myself,  for  I  passed 
under  another  feigned  name,  and  had  no  servant,  even.  I 
had,  however,  sent  an  address  to  Mildred  where  a  letter 
would  find  me ;  for  I  had  begun  to  feel  a  sincere  affection 
for  her,  though  it  might  not  have  amounted  to  passion,  and 
looked  forward  to  being  reunited  when  her  wounded  feelings 
had  time  to  regain  their  tranquillity.  The  obligations  of 
wedlock  are  too  serious  to  be  lightly  thrown  aside,  and  I 
felt  persuaded  that  neither  of  us  would  be  satisfied  in  the 
end  without  discharging  the  duties  of  the  state  into  which 
we  had  entered.  ’  ’ 

“  And  why  did  you  not  hasten  to  your  poor  wife,  cousin 
Jack,”  Eve  innocently  demanded,  “  as  soon  as  you  returned 
to  the  settlements  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Alas!  my  dear  girl,  I  found  letters  at  St.  Louis  an¬ 
nouncing  her  death.  Nothing  was  said  of  any  child,  nor 
did  I  in  the  least  suspect  that  I  was  about  to  become  a  father. 


Ifoome  as  jfounfc 


405 


When  Mildred  died,  I  thought  all  the  ties,  all  the  obligations, 
all  the  traces  of  my  ill-judged  marriage  were  extinct ;  and 
the  course  taken  by  her  relations,  of  whom,  in  this  country, 
there  remained  very  few,  left  me  no  inclination  to  proclaim 
it.  By  observing  silence,  I  continued  to  pass  as  a  bachelor, 
of  course ;  though  had  there  been  any  apparent  reason  for 
avowing  what  had  occurred,  I  think  no  one  who  knows  me 
can  suppose  I  would  have  shrunk  from  doing  so.” 

“  May  I  inquire,  my  dear  sir,”  Paul  asked,  with  a  timidity 
of  manner  that  betrayed  how  tenderly  he  felt  it  necessary 
to  touch  on  the  subject  at  all,  “  may  I  inquire,  my  dear  sir, 
what  course  was  taken  by  my  mother’s  relatives  ?  ” 

“  I  never  knew  Mr.  Warrender,  my  wife’s  brother,  but  he 
had  the  reputation  of  being  a  haughty  and  exacting  man. 
His  letters  were  not  friendly  ;  scarcely  tolerable ;  for  he 
affected  to  believe  I  had  given  a  false  address  at  the  West, 
when  I  was  residing  in  the  Middle  States,  and  he  threw  out 
hints  that  to  me  were  then  inexplicable,  but  which  the  letters 
left  with  me  by  Paul  have  sufficiently  explained.  I  thought 
him  cruel  and  unfeeling  at  the  time,  but  he  had  an  excuse 
for  his  conduct.” 

“  Which  was,  sir —  ”  Paul  eagerly  inquired. 

“I  perceive  by  the  letters  you  have  given  me,  my  son, 
that  your  mother’s  family  had  imbibed  the  opinion  that  I 
was  John  Assheton,  of  Lancaster,  a  man  of  singular  humors, 
who  had  made  an  unfortunate  marriage  in  Spain,  and  whose 
wife,  I  believe,  is  still  living  in  Paris,  though  lost  to  herself 
and  her  friends.  My  kinsman  lived  retired,  and  never  re¬ 
covered  from  the  blow.  As  he  was  one  of  the  only  persons  of 
the  name  who  could  have  married  your  mother,  her  relatives 
appear  to  have  taken  up  the  idea  that  he  had  been  guilty  of 
bigamy,  and,  of  course,  that  Paul  was  illegitimate.  Mr. 
Warrender,  by  his  letters,  appears  even  to  have  had  an  in¬ 
terview  with  this  person,  and  on  mentioning  his  wife,  was 
rudely  repulsed  from  the  house.  It  was  a  proud  family,  and 
Mildred  being  dead,  the  concealment  of  the  birth  of  her 
child  was  resorted  to,  as  a  means  of  averting  a  fancied  dis¬ 
grace.  As  for  myself,  I  call  the  all-seeing  eye  of  God  to 
witness,  that  the  thought  of  my  being  a  parent  never  crossed 


40  6 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


my  mind  until  I  learned  that  a  John  Assheton  was  the  father 
of  Paul,  and  that  the  miniature  of  Mildred  Warrender,  that 
I  received  at  the  period  of  our  engagement,  was  the  likeness 
of  his  mother.  The  simple  declaration  of  Captain  Ducie  con¬ 
cerning  the  famify  name  of  his  mother,  removed  all  doubt.  ’  ’ 
“  But,  cousin  Jack,  did  not  the  mention  of  Lady  Dunluce, 
of  the  Ducies,  and  of  Paul’s  connections,  excite  curiosity  ?  ” 
“Concerning  what,  dear?  I  could  have  no  curiosity 
about  a  child  of  whose  existence  I  was  ignorant.  I  did 
know  that  the  Warrenders  had  pretensions  to  both  rank  and 
fortune  in  England,  but  never  heard  the  title,  and  cared 
nothing  about  money  that  would  not,  probably,  be  Mildred’s. 
Of  General  Ducie  I  never  even  heard,  as  he  married  after  my 
separation  :  and  subsequently  to  the  receipt  of  my  brother- 
in-law’s  letters,  I  wished  to  forget  the  existence  of  the  fam¬ 
ily.  I  went  to  Europe,  and  remained  abroad  seven  years, 
and  as  this  was  at  a  time  when  the  Continent  was  closed 
against  the  English,  I  was  not  in  a  way  to  hear  anything  on 
the  subject.  On  my  return,  my  wife’s  aunt  was  dead  ;  the 
last  of  my  wife’s  brothers  was  dead  ;  her  sister  must  then 
have  been  Mrs.  Ducie  ;  no  one  mentioned  the  Warrenders, 
all  traces  of  whom  were  nearly  lost  in  this  country,  and  to 
me  the  subject  was  too  painful  to  be  either  sought  or  dwelt 
on.  It  is  a  curious  fact,  in  1829,  during  our  late  visit 
to  the  old  world,  I  ascended  the  Nile  with  General  Ducie 
for  a  travelling  companion.  We  met  at  Alexandria,  and 
went  to  the  cataracts  and  returned  in  company.  He  knew 
me  as  John  Effingham,  an  American  traveller  of  fortune,  if 
of  110  particular  merit,  and  I  knew  him  as  an  agreeable  Eng¬ 
lish  general  officer.  He  had  the  reserve  of  an  Englishman 
of  rank,  and  seldom  spoke  of  his  family,  and  it  was  only  on 
our  return  that  I  found  he  had  letters  from  his  wife,  Lady 
Dunluce  ;  but  little  did  I  dream  that  Lady  Dunluce  was 
Mabel  Warrender.  How  often  are  we  on  the  very  verge 
of  important  information,  and  yet  live  on  in  ignorance  and 
obscurity  !  The  Ducies  appear  finally  to  have  arrived  at 
the  opinion  that  the  marriage  was  legal,  and  that  no  re¬ 
proach  rests  on  the  birth  of  Paul,  by  the  inquiries  made 
concerning  the  eccentric  John  Assheton.’ ‘ 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


407 


“  They  fancied,  in  common  with  my  uncle  Warrender,  for 
a  long  time  that  the  John  Assheton  whom  you  have  men¬ 
tioned,  sir,”  said  Paul,  “  was  my  father.  But  some  acci¬ 
dental  information,  at  a  late  day,  convinced  them  of  their 
error,  and  then  they  naturally  enough  supposed  that  it  was 
the  only  other  John  Assheton  that  could  be  heard  of,  who 
passes,  and  probably  with  sufficient  reason,  for  a  bachelor. 
This  latter  gentleman  I  have  myself  always  supposed  to  be 
my  father,  though  he  has  treated  two  or  three  letters  I  have 
written  to  him  with  the  indifference  with  which  one  would 
be  apt  to  treat  the  pretensions  of  an  impostor.  Pride  has 
prevented  me  from  attempting  to  renew  the  correspondence 
lately.” 

“It  is  John  Assheton  of  Bristol,  my  mother’s  brother’s 
son,  as  inveterate  a  bachelor  as  is  to  be  found  in  the  Union  !  ” 
said  John  Effingham,  smiling  in  spite  of  the  grave  subject 
and  deep  emotions  that  had  so  lately  been  uppermost  in  his 
thoughts.  ‘  ‘  He  must  have  supposed  your  letters  were  an 
attempt  at  mystification  on  the  part  of  some  of  his  jocular 
associates,  and  I  am  surprised  that  he  thought  it  necessary 
to  answer  them  at  all.” 

He  did  answer  but  one,  and  that  reply  certainly  had 
something  of  the  character  }^ou  suggest,  sir.  I  freely  for¬ 
give  him,  now  I  understand  the  truth,  though  his  apparent 
contempt  gave  me  many  a  bitter  pang  at  the  time.  I  saw 
Mr.  Assheton  once  in  public,  and  observed  him  well,  for 
strange  as  it  is,  I  have  been  thought  to  resemble  him.” 

“Why  strange?  Jack  Assheton  and  myself  have,  or 
rather  had,  a  strong  family  likeness  to  each  other,  and, 
though  the  thought  is  new  to  me,  I  can  now  easily  trace 
this  resemblance  to  myself.  It  is  rather  an  Assheton  than 
an  Effingham  look,  though  the  latter  is  not  wanting.” 

“These  explanations  are  very  clear  and  satisfactory,” 
observed  Mr.  Effingham,  ‘  ‘  and  leave  little  doubt  that  Paul 
is  the  child  of  John  Effingham  and  Mildred  Warrender, 
but  they  would  be  beyond  all  cavil,  were  the  infancy  of  the 
boy  placed  in  an  equally  plain  point  of  view,  and  could  the 
reasons  be  known  why  the  Warrenders  abandoned  him  to 
the  care  of  those  who  yielded  him  up  to  Mr.  Powis.” 


'Ibonie  as  ffoun& 


408 


“  I  see  but  little  obscurity  in  that,”  returned  John  Effing¬ 
ham.  “  Paul  is  unquestionably  the  child  referred  to  in  the 
papers  left  by  poor  Monday,  to  the  care  of  whose  mother  he 
was  intrusted,  until,  in  his  fourth  year,  she  yielded  him  to 
Mr.  Powis,  to  get  rid  of  trouble  and  expense,  while  she  kept 
the  annuity  granted  by  Eady  Dunluce.  The  names  appear 
in  the  concluding  letters  ;  and  had  we  read  the  latter  through 
at  first,  we  should  earlier  have  arrived  at  the  same  conclu¬ 
sion.  Could  we  find  the  man  called  Dowse,  who  appears  to 
have  instigated  the  fraud,  and  wdio  married  Mrs.  Monday, 
the  whole  thing  would  be  explained.” 

“  Of  this  I  am  aware,”  said  Paul,  for  he  and  John  Effing¬ 
ham  had  perused  the  remainder  of  the  Monday  papers 
together,  after  the  fainting  fit  of  the  latter,  as  soon  as  his 
strength  would  admit ;  ‘  ‘  and  Captain  Truck  is  now  search¬ 
ing  for  an  old  passenger  of  his,  who  I  think  will  furnish  the 
clue.  Should  we  get  this  evidence,  it  would  settle  all  legal 
questions.” 

“Such  questions  will  never  be  raised,”  said  John  Effing¬ 
ham,  holding  out  his  hand  affectionately  to  his  son  ;  “  you 
possess  the  marriage  certificate  given  to  your  mother,  and  I 
avow  myself  to  have  been  the  person  therein  styled  John 
Assheton.  This  fact  I  have  endorsed  on  the  back  of  the 
certificate  ;  while  here  is  another  given  to  me  in  my  proper 
name,  with  the  endorsement  made  by  the  clergyman  that  I 
passed  by  another  name  at  the  ceremony.” 

“  Such  a  man,  cousin  Jack,  was  unworthy  of  his  cloth  !  ” 
said  Eve  with  energy. 

“I  do  not  think  so,  my  child.  He  was  innocent  of  the 
original  deception  ;  this  certificate  was  given  after  the  death 
of  my  wife,  and  might  do  good,  whereas  it  could  do  no 
harm.  The  clergyman  in  question  is  now  a  bishop,  and  is 
still  living.  He  may  give  evidence,  if  necessary,  to  the 
legality  of  the  marriage.” 

“  And  the  clergyman  by  whom  I  was  baptized  is  also 
alive,”  cried  Paul,  “  and  has  never  lost  sight  of  me.  He 
was,  in  part,  in  the  confidence  of  my  mother’s  family,  and 
even  after  I  was  adopted  by  Mr.  Powis  he  kept  me  in  view 
as  one  of  his  little  Christians,  as  he  termed  me.  It  was  no 
less  a  person  than  Dr.  - .” 


Borne  as  ffounD 


409 


“This  alone  would  make  out  the  connection  and  iden¬ 
tity,”  said  Mr.  Effingham,  “  without  the  aid  of  the  Monday 
witnesses.  The  whole  obscurity  has  arisen  from  John’s 
change  of  name,  and  his  ignorance  of  the  fact  that  his  wife 
had  a  child.  The  Ducies  appear  to  have  had  plausible  rea¬ 
sons,  too,  for  distrusting  the  legality  of  the  marriage  ;  but 
all  is  now  clear,  and  as  a  large  estate  is  concerned,  we  will 
take  care  that  no  further  obscurity  shall  rest  over  the  affair.” 

“The  part  connected  with  the  estate  is  already  secured,” 
said  John  Effingham,  looking  at  Eve  with  a  smile.  “An 
American  can  always  make  a  will,  and  one  that  contains 
but  a  single  bequest  is  soon  written.  Mine  is  executed,  and 
Paul  Effingham,  my  son  by  my  marriage  with  Mildred 
Warrender,  and  lately  known  in  the  United  States  Navy 
as  Paul  Powis,  is  duly  declared  my  heir.  This  will  suffice 
for  all  legal  purposes,  though  we  shall  have  large  draughts 
of  gossip  to  swallow.” 

“  Cousin  Jack  !  ” 

‘  ‘  Daughter  Eve  !  ’  ’ 

‘  Who  has  given  cause  for  it  ?  ” 

“  He  who  commenced  one  of  the  most  sacred  of  his 
earthly  duties  with  an  unjustifiable  deception.  The  wisest 
way  to  meet  it  will  be  to  make  our  avowals  of  the  relation¬ 
ship  as  open  as  possible.” 

“  I  see  no  necessity,  John,  of  entering  into  details,”  said 
Mr.  Effingham  ;  ‘  ‘  you  were  married  young,  and  lost  your 
wife  within  a  year  of  your  marriage.  She  was  a  Miss  War- 
render,  and  the  sister  of  Eady  Dunluce ;  Paul  and  Ducie 
are  declared  cousins,  and  the  former  proves  to  be  your  son, 
of  whose  existence  you  were  ignorant.  No  one  will  pre¬ 
sume  to  question  any  of  us,  and  it  really  strikes  me  that  all 
rational  people  ought  to  be  satisfied  with  this  simple  account 
of  the  matter.” 

“Father!”  exclaimed  Eve,  with  her  pretty  little  hands 
raised  in  the  attitude  of  surprise,  “  in  what  capital  even,  in 
what  part  of  the  world,  would  such  a  naked  account  appease 
curiosity  ?  Much  less  will  it  suffice  here,  where  every  hu¬ 
man  being,  gentle  or  simple,  learned  or  ignorant,  refined  or 
vulgar,  fancies  himself  a  constitutional  judge  of  all  the  acts 
of  all  his  fellow-creatures  !  ” 


4io 


Ibome  as  ffounD 


‘  ‘  We  have  at  least  the  consolation  of  knowing  that  no 
revelations  will  make  the  matter  any  worse  or  any  better, 
said  Paul,  “  as  the  gossips  would  tell  their  own  tale,  in  every 
case,  though  its  falsehood  were  apparent  as  the  noonday 
sun.  A  gossip  is  essentially  a  liar,  and  truth  is  the  last  in¬ 
gredient  that  is  deemed  necessary  to  his  other  qualifications  ; 
indeed,  a  well-authenticated  fact  is  a  death-blow  to  a  gossip. 
I  hope,  my  dear  sir,  you  will  say  no  more  than  that  I  am 
your  son,  a  circumstance  much  too  precious  to  me  to  be 
omitted.” 

John  Effingham  looked  affectionately  at  the  noble  young 
man,  whom  he  had  so  long  esteemed  and  admired  ;  and  the 
tears  forced  themselves  to  his  eyes  as  he  felt  the  supreme 
happiness  that  can  alone  gladden  a  parent’s  heart. 


S) 

CHAPTER  XXVIL 

“  ^or  my  Part>  I  care  not :  I  say  little  ;  but  when  the  time  comes, 
there  shall  be  smiles.” 

Nym. 

ALTHOUGH  Paul  Effingham  was  right,  and  Eve 
Effingham  was  also  right,  in  their  opinions  of  the 
art  of  gossiping,  they  both  forgot  one  qualifying 
circumstance,  that,  arising  from  different  causes, 
produces  the  same  effect  equally  in  a  capital  and  in  a  prov¬ 
ince.  In  the  first,  marvels  form  a  nine  days’  wonder  from 
the  hurry  of  events  ;  in  the  latter,  from  the  hurry  of  talking. 
When  it  was  announced  in  Templeton  that  Mr.  John  Effing¬ 
ham  had  discovered  a  son  in  Mr.  Powis,  as  that  son  had 
conjectured,  everything  but  the  truth  was  rumored  and  be¬ 
lieved  in  connection  with  the  circumstance.  Of  course  it 
excited  a  good  deal  of  natural  and  justifiable  curiosity  and 
surprise  in  the  trained  and  intelligent,  for  John  Effingham 
had  passed  for  a  confirmed  bachelor  ;  but  they  were  gen¬ 
erally  content  to  suffer  a  family  to  have  feelings  and  inci¬ 
dents  that  were  not  to  be  paraded  before  a  neighborhood. 
Having  some  notions  themselves  of  the  delicacy  and  sanctity 
of  the  domestic  affections,  they  were  willing  to  respect  the 
same  sentiments  in  others.  But  these  few  excepted,  the  vil- 
lqge  was  in  a  tumult  of  surmises,  reports,  contradictions, 
confirmations,  rebutters,  and  sur- rebutters,  for  a  fortnight. 
Several  village  elegants ,  whose  notions  of  life  were  obtained 
in  the  valley  in  which  they  were  born,  and  who  had  turned 
up  their  noses  at  the  quiet,  reserved,  gentleman-like  Paul, 
because  he  did  not  happen  to  suit  their  tastes,  were  disposed 
to  resent  his  claim  to  be  his  father’s  son,  as  if  it  were  an 


412 


ibome  as  jfounb 


injustice  done  to  their  rights  ;  such  commentators  on  men 
and  things  uniformly  bringing  everything  down  to  the  stand¬ 
ard  of  self.  Then  the  approaching  marriages  at  the  Wig¬ 
wam  had  to  run  the  gauntlet,  not  only  of  village  and 
county  criticisms,  but  that  of  the  mighty  Emporium  itself, 
as  it  is  the  fashion  to  call  the  confused  and  tasteless  collec¬ 
tion  of  flaring  red  brick  houses,  marten-box  churches,  and 
colossal  taverns,  that  stand  on  the  island  of  Manhattan  ;  the 
discussion  of  marriages  being  a  topic  of  never-ending  interest 
in  that  well-regulated  social  organization,  after  the  subjects  of 
dollars,  lots,  and  wines  have  been  duly  exhausted.  Sir  George 
Templemore  was  transformed  into  the  Honorable  Eord 
George  Templemore,  and  Paul’s  relationship  to  Lady  Dun- 
luce  was  converted,  as  usual,  into  his  being  the  heir-apparent 
of  a  duchy  of  that  name  ;  Eve’s  preference  for  a  nobleman, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  to  the  aristocratical  tastes  imbibed 
during  a  residence  in  foreign  countries :  Eve,  the  intellec¬ 
tual,  feminine,  instructed  Eve,  whose  European  associations, 
while  they  had  taught  her  to  prize  the  refinement,  grace, 
retenue,  and  tone  of  an  advanced  condition  of  society,  had 
also  taught  her  to  despise  its  mere  covering  and  glitter  ! 
But  as  there  is  no  protection  against  falsehood,  so  is  there  no 
reasoning  with  ignorance. 

A  sacred  few,  at  the  head  of  whom  were  Mr.  Steadfast 
Dodge  and  Mrs.  Widow-Bewitched  Abbott,  treated  the  mat¬ 
ter  as  one  of  greater  gravity,  and  as  possessing  an  engross¬ 
ing  interest  for  the  entire  community. 

“  For  my  part,  Mr.  Dodge,”  said  Mrs.  Abbott,  in  one  of 
their  frequent  conferences,  about  a  fortnight  after  the 
ecla ircissemen t  of  the  last  chapter,  “I  do  not  believe  that 
Paul  Powis  is  Paul  Effingham  at  all.  You  say  that  you 
knew  him  by  the  name  of  Blunt,  when  he  was  a  younger 
man  ?  ’  ’ 

“Certainly,  ma’am.  He  passed  universally  by  that 
name  formerly,  and  it  may  be  considered  as  at  least  extra¬ 
ordinary  that  he  should  have  had  so  many  aliases.  The 
truth  of  the  matter  is,  Mrs.  Abbott,  if  truth  could  be  comeat, 
which  I  always  contend  is  very  difficult  in  the  present  state 
of  the  world — ’  ’ 


Ibonte  as  ffoun5 


413 


“  You  never  said  a  juster  thing,  Mr.  Dodge  !  ”  interrupted 
the  lady,  feelings  impetuous  as  hers  seldom  waiting  for  the 
completion  of  a  sentence,  “  I  never  can  get  hold  of  the  truth 
of  anything  now  ;  you  may  remember  you  insinuated  that 
Mr.  John  Effingham  himself  was  to  be  married  to  Eve,  and, 
lo  and  behold  !  it  turns  out  to  be  his  son  !  ’  ’ 

“The  lady  may  have  changed  her  mind,  Mrs.  Abbott: 
she  gets  the  same  estate  with  a  younger  man.” 

“  She  ’s  monstrous  disagreeable,  and  I  ’m  sure  it  will  be  a 
relief  to  the  whole  village  when  she  is  married,  let  it  be  to 
the  father  or  to  the  son.  Now,  do  you  know,  Mr.  Dodge, 
I  have  been  in  a  desperate  taking  about  one  thing,  and  that 
is,  to  find  that,  bony  fie-dy,  the  two  old  Effinghams  are  not 
actually  brothers !  I  knew  that  they  called  each  other 
cousin  Jack  and  cousin  Ned,  and  that  Eve  affected  to  call 
her  uncle  cousin  Jack,  but  then  she  has  so  many  affectations, 
and  the  old  people  are  so  foreign,  that  I  looked  upon  all 
that  as  mere  pretence  ;  I  said  to  myself,  a  neighborhood 
ought  to  know  better  about  a  man’s  family  than  he  can 
know  himself,  and  the  neighborhood  all  declared  they  were 
brothers  ;  and  yet  it  turns  out,  after  all,  that  they  are  only 
cousins  !  ” 

“  Yes,  I  do  believe  that,  for  once,  the  family  was  right  in 
that  matter,  and  the  public  mistaken.” 

“  Well,  I  should  like  to  know  who  has  a  better  right  to 
be  mistaken  than  the  public,  Mr.  Dodge.  This  is  a  free 
country,  and  if  the  people  can’t  sometimes  be  wrong,  what 
is  the  mighty  use  of  their  freedom  ?  We  are  all  sinful 
wretches,  at  the  best,  and  it  is  vain  to  look  for  anything 
but  vice  from  sinners.  ’  ’ 

“  Nay,  my  dear  Mrs.  Abbott,  you  are  too  hard  on  your¬ 
self,  for  everybody  allows  that  you  are  as  exemplary  as  you 
are  devoted  to  your  religious  duties.” 

“Oh  !  I  was  not  speaking  particularly  of  myself,  sir;  I 
am  no  egotist  in  such  things,  and  wish  to  leave  my  own 
imperfections  to  the  charity  of  my  friends  and  neighbors. 
But,  do  you  think,  Mr.  Dodge,  that  a  marriage  between 
Paul  Effingham,  for  so  I  suppose  he  must  be  called,  and 
Eve  Effingham,  will  be  legal?  Can’t  it  be  set  aside,  and 


414 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


if  that  should  be  the  case,  wouldn’t  the  fortune  go  to  the 
public  ?  ’  ’ 

“  It  ought  to  be  so,  my  dear  ma’am,  and  I  trust  the  day 
is  not  distant  when  it  will  be  so.  The  public  are  beginning 
to  understand  their  rights,  and  another  century  will  not 
pass,  before  they  will  enforce  them  by  the  necessary  penal 
statutes.  We  have  got  matters  so  now,  that  a  man  can  no 
longer  indulge  in  the  aristocratic  and  selfish  desire  to  make 
a  will,  and,  take  my  word  for  it,  we  shall  not  stop  until  we 
bring  everything  to  the  proper  standard.” 

The  reader  is  not  to  suppose  from  his  language  that  Mr. 
Dodge  was  an  agrarian,  or  that  he  looked  forward  to  a 
division  of  property  at  some  future  day  ;  for,  possessing  in 
his  own  person  already,  more  than  what  could  possibly  fall 
to  an  individual  share,  he  had  not  the  smallest  desire  to 
lessen  its  amount  by  a  general  division.  In  point  of  fact, 
he  did  not  know  his  own  meaning,  except  as  he  felt  envy 
of  all  above  him,  in  which,  in  truth,  was  to  be  found  the 
whole  secret  of  his  principles,  his  impulses,  and  his  doc¬ 
trines.  Anything  that  would  pull  down  those  whom 
education,  habits,  fortune,  or  tastes  had  placed  in  positions 
more  conspicuous  than  his  own,  was,  in  his  eyes,  reasonable 
and  just — as  anything  that  would  serve  him,  in  person, 
the  same  ill  turn,  would  have  been  tyranny  and  oppression. 
The  institutions  of  America,  like  everything  human,  have 
their  bad  as  well  as  their  good  side  ;  and  while  we  firmly 
believe  in  the  relative  superiority  of  the  latter,  as  compared 
with  other  systems,  we  should  fail  of  accomplishing  the  end 
set  before  us  in  this  work,  did  we  not  exhibit,  in  strong 
colors,  one  of  the  most  prominent  consequences  that  has 
attended  the  entire  destruction  of  factitious  personal  dis¬ 
tinctions  in  the  country,  which  has  certainly  aided  in  bring¬ 
ing  out  in  bolder  relief  than  common,  the  prevalent 
disposition  in  man  to  covet  that  which  is  in  the  possession 
of  another,  and  to  decry  merits  that  are  unattainable. 

‘‘Well,  I  rejoice  to  hear  this,”  returned  Mrs.  Abbott, 
whose  principles  were  of  the  same  loose  school  as  those  of 
her  companion,  “  for  I  think  no  one  should  have  rights  but 
those  who  have  experienced  religion,  if  you  would  keep 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


415 


vital  religion  in  a  country.  There  goes  that  old  sea-lion, 
Truck,  and  his  fishing  associate,  the  commodore,  with  their 
lines  and  poles,  as  usual,  Mr.  Dodge  ;  I  beg  you  will  call  to 
them,  for  I  long  to  hear  what  the  first  can  have  to  say  about 
his  beloved  Effinghatns,  now.  ’  ’ 

Mr.  Dodge  complied,  and  the  navigator  of  the  ocean  and 
the  navigator  of  the  lake  were  soon  seated  in  Mrs.  Abbott’s 
little  parlor,  which  might  be  styled  the  focus  of  gossip,  near 
those  who  were  so  lately  its  sole  occupants. 

“This  is  wonderful  news,  gentlemen,”  commenced  Mrs. 
Abbott,  as  soon  as  the  bustle  of  the  entrance  had  subsided. 
“Mr.  Powis  is  Mr.  Effingham,  and  it  seems  that  Miss  Effing¬ 
ham  is  to  become  Mrs.  Effingham.  Miracles  will  never 
cease,  and  I  look  upon  this  as  one  of  the  most  surprising  of 
my  time.” 

“Just  so,  ma’am,”  said  the  commodore,  winking  his  eye, 
and  giving  the  usual  flourish  with  a  hand  ;  “  your  time  has 
not  been  that  of  a  day  neither,  and  Mr.  Powis  has  reason  to 
rejoice  that  he  is  the  hero  of  such  a  history.  For  my  part, 
I  could  not  have  been  more  astonished  were  I  to  bring  up 
the  sogdollager  with  a  trout-hook,  having  a  cheese-paring 
for  the  bait.” 

“I  understand,”  continued  the  lady,  “that  there  are 
doubts  after  all,  whether  this  miracle  be  really  a  true  mir¬ 
acle.  It  is  hinted  that  Mr.  Powis  is  neither  Mr.  Effingham 
nor  Mr.  Powis,  but  that  he  is  actually  a  Mr.  Blunt.  Do 
you  happen  to  know  anything  of  the  matter,  Captain 
Truck  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  have  been  introduced  to  him,  ma’am,  by  all  three 
names,  and  I  consider  him  as  an  acquaintance  in  each  char¬ 
acter.  I  can  assure  you,  moreover,  that  he  is  A  No.  1,  on 
whichever  tack  you  take  him  ;  a  man  who  carries  a  weather 
helm  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies.” 

“  Well,  I  do  not  consider  it  a  very  great  recommendation 
for  one  to  have  enemies,  at  all.  Now,  I  dare  say,  Mr. 
Dodge,  you  have  not  an  enemy  on  earth  ?  ” 

“  I  should  be  sorry  to  think  that  I  had,  Mrs.  Abbott.  I 
am  every  man’s  friend,  particularly  the  poor  man’s  friend, 
and  I  should  suppose  that  every  man  ought  to  be  my 


416 


t>o me  as  ffounb 


friend.  I  hold  the  whole  human  family  to  be  brethren,  and 
that  they  ought  to  live  together  as  such.” 

“  Very  true,  sir  ;  quite  true — we  are  all  sinners,  and  ought 
to  look  favorably  on  each  other’s  failings.  It  is  no  business 
of  mine — I  say  it  is  no  business  of  ours,  Mr.  Dodge,  who 
Miss  Eve  Effingham  marries  ;  but  were  she  my  daughter,  I 
do  think  I  should  not  like  her  to  have  three  family  names, 
and  to  keep  her  own  in  the  bargain  !  ’  ’ 

“The  Effinghams  hold  their  heads  very  much  up,  though 
it  is  not  easy  to  see  why  ;  but  so  they  do,  and  the  more 
names  the  better,  perhaps,  for  such  people,”  returned  the 
editor.  “For  my  part,  I  treat  them  with  condescension, 
just  as  I  do  everybody  else  ;  for  it  is  a  rule  with  me,  Cap¬ 
tain  Truck,  to  make  use  of  the  same  deportment  to  a  king 
on  his  throne  as  I  would  to  a  beggar  in  the  street.” 

“  Merely  to  show  that  you  do  not  feel  yourself  to  be 
above  your  betters.  We  have  many  such  philosophers  in 
this  country.” 

“Just  so,”  said  the  commodore. 

“  I  wish  I  knew — ”  resumed  Mrs.  Abbott,  for  there  existed 
in  her  head,  as  well  as  in  that  of  Mr.  Dodge,  such  a  total 
confusion  on  the  subject  of  deportment,  that  she  neither  saw 
nor  felt  the  cool  sarcasm  of  the  old  sailor — “  I  wish  I  knew, 
now,  whether  Eve  Effingham  has  really  been  regenerated ! 
What  is  your  opinion,  commodore  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Re- what,  ma’am?  ”  said  the  commodore,  who  was  not 
conscious  of  ever  having  heard  the  word  before  ;  for,  in  his 
Sabbaths  on  the  water,  where  he  often  worshipped  God 
devoutly  in  his  heart,  the  language  of  the  professedly  pious 
was  never  heard  ;  “  I  can  only  say  she  is  as  pretty  a  skill 
as  floats,  but  I  can  tell  you  nothing  about  resuscitation — 
indeed,  I  never  heard  of  her  having  been  drowned.” 

“Ah,  Mrs.  Abbott,  the  very  best  friends  of  the  Effing¬ 
hams  will  not  maintain  that  they  are  pious.  I  do  not  wish 
to  be  invidious,  or  to  say  unneigliborly  things,  but  were 
I  upon  oath,  I  could  testify  to  a  great  many  things,  which 
would  unqualifiedly  show  that  none  of  them  have  ever 
experienced.” 

“Now,  Mr.  Dodge,  you  know  how  much  I  dislike  scan- 


l3ome  as  iFounfc 


417 


dal,’*  the  widow-bewitched  cried  affectedly,  “and  I  cannot 
tolerate  such  a  sweeping  charge.  I  insist  on  the  proofs  of 
what  you  say,  in  which,  no  doubt,  these  gentlemen  will  join 
me.  ’  ’ 

By  proofs,  Mrs.  Abbott  meant  allegations. 

“Well,  ma’am,  since  you  insist  on  my  proving  w7hat  I 
have  said,  you  shall  not  be  disappointed.  In  the  first  place, 
then,  they  read  their  family  prayers  out  of  a  book.” 

“Ay,  ay,”  put  in  the  captain  ;  “but  that  merely  shows 
they  have  some  education  ;  it  is  done  everywhere.” 

“Your  pardon,  sir;  no  people  but  the  Catholics  and  the 
Church  people  commit  this  impiety.  The  idea  of  reading 
to  the  Deity,  Mrs.  Abbott,  is  particularly  shocking  to  a 
pious  soul.” 

As  if  the  Tord  stood  in  need  of  letters  !  That  is  very 
bad,  I  allow  ;  for  at  family  prayers  a  form  becomes  mockery.” 

Yes,  ma’am  ;  but  what  do  you  think  of  cards  ?  ” 

Cards  !  ’  ’  exclaimed  Mrs.  Abbott,  holding  up  her  pious 
hands  in  holy  horror. 

“Even  so;  foul  pasteboard,  marked  with  kings  and 
queens,”  said  the  captain.  “  Why,  this  is  worse  than  a 
common  sin,  being  unqualifiedly  anti-republican.” 

‘  ‘  I  confess  I  did  not  expect  this  !  I  had  heard  that  Eve 
Effingham  was  guilty  of  indiscretions,  but  I  did  not  think 
she  was  so  lost  to  virtue  as  to  touch  a  card.  Oh  !  Eve 
Effingham,  Eve  Effingham,  for  what  is  your  poor,  diseased 
soul  destined  !  ” 

“ vShe  dances,  too ;  I  suppose  you  know  that?  ”  continued 
Mr.  Dodge,  who,  finding  his  popularity  a  little  on  the  wane, 
had  joined  the  meeting  himself,  a  few  weeks  before,  and  who 
did  not  fail  to  manifest  the  zeal  of  a  new  convert. 

“  Dances  !  ”  repeated  Mrs.  Abbott  in  holy  horror. 

“  Real  fi  diddle  de  di  !  ”  echoed  Captain  Truck. 

“Just  so,”  put  in  the  commodore  ;  “I  have  seen  it  with 
my  own  eyes.  But,  Mrs.  Abbott,  I  feel  bound  to  tell  you 
that  your  own  daughter — ” 

1  Biansy-Alzumy-Ann  !  ”  exclaimed  the  mother,  in  alarm. 

“Just  so;  my-aunty-all-suit-me- Ann ,  if  that  is  her  name. 
Do  you  know,  ma’am,  that  I  have  seen  your  own  blessed 

27 


418 


Iborne  as  ffounD 


daughter,  my-aunty-Ann,  do  a  worse  thing,  even,  than 
dancing  !  ” 

‘  ‘  Commodore,  you  are  awful  !  What  could  a  child  of 

mine  do  that  is  worse  than  dancing  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Why,  ma’am,  if  you  will  hear  all,  it  is  my  duty  to  tell 
you.  I  saw  aunty- Ann  ’  ’  (the  commodore  was  really  igno¬ 
rant  of  the  girl’s  name)  “jump  a  skipping-rope  yesterday 
morning,  between  the  hours  of  seven  and  eight.  As  I  hope 
ever  to  see  the  sogdollager  again,  ma’am,  I  did  !  ’’ 

“And  do  you  call  this  as  bad  as  dancing  ?  ’’ 

“  Much  worse,  ma’am,  to  my  notion.  It  is  jumping 
about  without  music,  and  without  any  grace,  either,  particu¬ 
larly  as  it  was  performed  by  my-aunty-Ann. 

“  You  are  given  to  light  jokes.  Jumping  the  skipping- 

rope  is  not  forbidden  in  the  Bible. 

“just  so  ;  nor  is  dancing,  if  I  know  anything  about  it; 

nor,  for  that  matter,  cards.’’ 

‘  ‘  But  waste  of  time  is  ;  a  sinful  waste  of  time  ;  and  evil 

passions,  and  all  unrighteousness.’’ 

“Just  so.  My-aunty-Ann  was  going  to  the  pump  for 
water — I  dare  say  you  sent  her — and  she  was  misspending 
her  time  ;  and  as  for  evil  passions,  she  did  not  enjoy  the  hop 
until  she  and  your  neighbor’s  daughter  had  pulled  each 
other’s  hair  for  the  rope,  as  if  they  had  been  two  she-dragons. 
Take  my  word  for  it,  ma’am,  it  wanted  for  nothing  to  make 
it  sin  of  the  purest  water,  but  a  cracked  fiddle.” 

While  the  commodore  was  holding  Mrs.  Abbott  at  bay 
in  this  manner,  Captain  Truck,  who  had  given  him  a  wink 
to  that  effect,  was  employed  in  playing  off  a  practical  joke 
at  the  expense  of  the  widow.  It  was  one  of  the  standing 
amusements  of  these  worthies,  who  had  got  to  be  sworn 
friends  and  constant  associates,  after  they  had  caught  as 
many  fish  as  they  wished,  to  retire  to  the  favorite  spring, 
light,  the  one  his  cigar,  the  other  his  pipe,  mix  their  grog, 
and  then  relieve  their  ennui ,  when  tired  of  discussing  men 
and  things,  by  playing  cards  on  a  particular  stump.  Now, 
it  happened  that  the  captan  had  the  identical  pack  which 
had  been  used  on  all  such  occasions  in  his  pocket,  as  was 
evident  in  the  fact  that  the  cards  were  nearly  as  distinctly 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


4T9 


marked  on  their  backs  as  on  their  faces.  These  cards  he 
showed  secretly  to  his  companion,  and  when  the  attention 
of  Mrs.  Abbott  was  altogether  engaged  in  expecting  the 
terrible  announcement  of  her  daughter’s  errors,  the  captain 
slipped  them,  kings,  queens,  and  knaves,  high,  low,  jack,  and 
the  game,  without  regard  to  rank,  into  the  lady’s  work- 
basket.  As  soon  as  this  feat  was  successfully  performed, 
a  sign  was  given  to  the  commodore  that  the  conspiracy  was 
effected,  and  that  disputant  in  theology  gradually  began  to 
give  ground,  while  he  continued  to  maintain  that  jumping 
the  rope  was  a  sin,  though  it  might  be  one  of  a  nominal 
class.  There  is  little  doubt  had  he  possessed  a  smattering 
of  phrases,  a  greater  command  of  Biblical  learning,  and  more 
zeal,  that  the  fisherman  might  have  established  a  new  shade 
of  the  Christian  faith ;  for,  while  mankind  still  persevere 
in  disregarding  the  plainest  mandates  of  God,  as  respects 
humility,  the  charities,  and  obedience,  nothing  seems  to 
afford  them  more  delight  than  to  add  to  the  catalogue  of 
the  offences  against  his  divine  supremacy.  It  was  perhaps 
lucky  for  the  commodore,  who  was  capital  at  casting  a 
pickerel  line,  but  who  usually  settled  his  polemics  with  the 
fist  when  hard  pushed,  that  Captain  Truck  found  leisure  to 
come  to  the  rescue. 

“I’m  amazed,  ma’am,”  said  the  honest  packet-master, 
“  that  a  woman  of  your  sanctity  should  deny  that  jumping 
the  rope  is  a  sin,  for  I  hold  that  point  to  have  been  settled 
by  all  our  people,  these  fifty  years.  You  will  admit  that 
the  rope  cannot  be  well  jumped  without  levity?  ” 

Levity,  Captain  Truck  !  I  hope  you  do  not  insinuate 
that  a  daughter  of  mine  discovers  levity  ?  ” 

“  Certainly,  ma'am  ;  she  is  called  the  best  rope -jumper  in 
the  village,  I  hear  ;  and  levity,  or  lightness  of  carriage,  is 
the  great  requisite  for  skill  in  the  art.  Then  there  are  ‘  vain 
repetitions  ’  in  doing  the  same  thing  over  and  over  so  often, 
and  ‘  vain  repetitions  ’  are  forbidden  even  in  our  prayers.  I 
can  call  both  father  and  mother  to  testify  to  that  fact.” 

”  Well,  this  is  news  to  me  !  I  must  speak  to  the  minister 
about  it.” 

‘  ‘  Of  the  two,  the  skipping-rope  is  rather  more  sinful  than 


420 


Ibome  as  tfownb 


dancing,  for  tlie  music  makes  the  latter  easy  ;  whereas,  one 
has  to  force  the  spirit  to  enter  into  the  other.  Commodore,  our 
hour  has  come,  and  we  must  make  sail.  May  I  ask  the  favor, 
Mrs.  Abbott,  of  a  bit  of  thread  to  fasten  this  hook  afresh  ?  ’  ’ 

The  widow-bewitched  turned  to  her  basket,  and,  raising  a 
piece  of  calico  to  look  for  the  thread,  “  high,  low,  jack,  and 
the  game  ’  ’  stared  her  in  the  face.  When  she  bent  her  eyes 
towards  her  guests,  she  perceived  all  three  gazing  at  the 
cards,  with  as  much  apparent  surprise  and  curiosity  as  if 
two  of  them  knew  nothing  of  their  history. 

“  Awful !  ”  exclaimed  Mrs.  Abbott,  shaking  both  hands, — 
“  awful — awful — awful  !  The  powers  of  darkness  have  been 
at  work  here  !  ’  ’ 

“They  seem  to  have  been  pretty  much  occupied,  too,” 
observed  the  captain,  “for  a  better  thumbed  pack  I  never 
yet  found  in  the  forecastle  of  a  ship.” 

‘  ‘  Awful — awful — awful  !  This  is  equal  to  the  forty  days 
in  the  wilderness,  Mr.  Dodge.” 

“  It  is  a  trying  cross,  ma’am.” 

“  To  my  notion,  now,”  said  the  captain,  “  those  cards  are 
not  worse  than  the  skipping-rope,  though  I  allow  that  they 
might  have  been  cleaner.  ’  ’ 

But  Mrs.  Abbott  was  not  disposed  to  view  the  matter  so 
lightly.  She  saw  the  hand  of  the  devil  in  the  affair,  and 
fancied  it  was  a  new  trial  offered  to  her  widowed  condition. 

‘  ‘  Are  these  actually  cards  ?  ’  ’  she  cried,  like  one  who  dis¬ 
trusted  the  evidence  of  her  senses. 

“Just  so,  ma’am,”  kindly  answered  the  commodore; 
“This  is  the  ace  of  spades,  a  famous  fellow  to  hold  when 
you  have  the  lead  ;  and  this  is  the  jack,  which  counts  one, 
you  know,  when  spades  are  trumps.  I  never  saw  a  more 
thorough-working  pack  in  my  life.” 

“Ora  more  thoroughly  worked  pack,”  added  the  captain, 
in  a  condoling  manner.  “  Well,  we  are  not  all  perfect,  and 
I  hope  Mrs.  Abbott  will  cheer  up  and  look  at  this  matter  in 
a  gayer  point  of  view.  For  myself,  I  hold  that  a  skipping- 
rope  is  worse  than  the  jack  of  spades,  Sundays  or  week 
days.  Commodore,  we  shall  see  no  pickerel  to-day,  unless 
we  tear  ourselves  from  this  good  company .  ’  ’ 


ibome  as  jfouni> 


42I 


Here  the  two  wags  took  their  leave,  and  retreated  to  the 
skiff;  the  captain,  who  foresaw  an  occasion  to  use  them, 
considerately  offering  to  relieve  Mrs.  Abbott  from  the  pres¬ 
ence  of  the  odious  cards,  intimating  that  he  would  con¬ 
scientiously  see  them  fairly  sunk  in  the  deepest  part  of  the 
lake. 

When  the  two  worthies  were  at  a  reasonable  distance, 
from  the  shore,  the  commodore  suddenly  ceased  rowing, 
made  a  flourish  with  his  hand,  and  incontinently  began  to 
laugh,  as  if  his  mirth  had  suddenly  broken  through  all  re¬ 
straint.  Captain  Truck,  who  had  been  lighting  a  cigar, 
commenced  smoking,  and,  seldom  indulging  in  boisterous 
merriment,  he  responded  with  his  eyes,  shaking  his  head 
from  time  to  time,  with  great  satisfaction,  as  thoughts  more 
ludicrous  than  common  came  over  his  imagination. 

“  Harkee,  commodore,”  he  said,  blowing  the  smoke  up* 
wards,  and  watching  it  with  his  eye  until  it  floated  away  in 
a  little  cloud,  “  neither  of  us  is  a  chicken.  You  have  stud¬ 
ied  life  on  the  fresh  water,  and  I  have  studied  life  on  the 
salt.  I  do  not  say  which  produces  the  best  scholars,  but  I 
know  that  both  make  better  Christians  than  the  jack-screw 
system.” 

“Just  so.  I  tell  them  in  the  village  that  little  is  gained 
in  the  end  by  following  the  blind  ;  that  is  my  doctrine,  sir.  ’  ’ 

“And  a  very  good  doctrine  it  would  prove,  I  make  no 
doubt,  were  you  to  enter  into  it  a  little  more  fully — ’  ’ 

“  Well,  sir,  I  can  explain — ” 

“Not  another  syllable  is  necessary.  I  know  what  you 
mean  as  well  as  if  I  said  it  myself,  and,  moreover,  short 
sermons  are  always  the  best.  You  mean  that  a  pilot  ought 
to  know  where  he  is  steering,  which  is  perfectly  sound  doc¬ 
trine.  My  own  experience  tells  me,  that  if  you  press  a 
.sturgeon’s  nose  with  your  foot,  it  will  spring  up  as  soon  as 
it  is  loosened.  Now  the  jack-screw  will  heave  a  great 
strain,  no  doubt  ;  but  the  moment  it  is  let  up,  down  comes 
all  that  rest  on  it  again.  This  Mr.  Dodge,  I  suppose  you 
know,  has  been  a  passenger  with  me  once  or  twice  ?  ” 

“  I  have  heard  as  much  ;  they  say  he  was  tigerish  in  the 
fight  with  the  niggers — quite  an  out-and-outer,” 


422 


Iborne  as  ffounfc 


“  Ay,  I  hear  he  tells  some  such  story  himself;  butharkee, 
commodore,  I  wish  to  do  justice  to  all  men,  and  I  find  there 
is  very  little  of  it  inland,  hereaway.  The  hero  of  that  day 
is  about  to  marry  your  beautiful  Miss  Effingham  ;  other  men 
did  their  duty  too,  as,  for  instance,  was  the  case  with  Mr. 
John  Effingham  ;  but  Paul  Blunt-Powis-Effingham  finished 
the  job.  As  for  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge,  sir,  I  say  nothing, 
unless  it  be  to  add  that  he  was  nowhere  near  me  in  that 
transaction  ;  and  if  any  man  felt  like  an  alligator  in  Eent,  on 
that  occasion,  it  was  your  humble  servant.” 

“Which  means  that  he  was  not  nigh  the  enemy,  I’ll 
swear  before  a  magistrate.  ’  ’ 

“  And  no  fear  of  perjury.  Any  one  who  saw  Mr.  John 
Effingham  and  Mr.  Powis  on  that  day,  might  have  sworn 
that  they  were  father  and  son  ;  and  any  one  who  did  not 
see  Mr.  Dodge  might  have  said  at  once,  that  he  did  not 
belong  to  their  family.  That  is  all,  sir  :  I  never  disparage 
a  passenger,  and,  therefore,  shall  say  no  more  than  merely 
to  add,  that  Mr.  Dodge  is  no  warrior.” 

“They  say  he  has  experienced  religion  lately,  as  they 
call  it.” 

“It  is  high  time,  sir,  for  he  had  experienced  sin  quite 
long  enough,  according  to  my  notion.  I  hear  that  the  man 
goes  up  and  down  the  country  disparaging  those  whose 
shoe-ties  he  is  unworthy  to  unloose,  and  that  he  has  published 
some  letters  in  his  journal,  that  are  as  false  as  his  heart ; 
but  let  him  beware,  lest  the  world  should  see,  some  rainy 
day,  an  extract  from  a  certain  log-book  belonging  to  a  ship 
called  the  Montauk.  I  am  rejoiced  at  this  marriage  after 
all,  commodore,  or  marriages,  rather,  for  I  understand  that 
Mr.  Paul  Effingham  and  Sir  Georgle  Templemore  intend  to 
make  a  double  bow-line  of  it  to-morrow  morning.  All  is 
arranged,  and  as  soon  as  my  eyes  have  witnessed  that 
blessed  sight,  I  shall  trip  for  New  York  again.” 

“  It  is  clearly  made  out,  then,  that  the  young  gentleman 
is  Mr.  John  Effingham’s  son  ?  ” 

“  As  clear  as  the  north-star  in  a  bright  night.  The 
fellow  who  spoke  to  me  at  the  ‘  Fun  of  Fire  ’  has  put  us 
in  a  way  to  remove  the  last  doubt,  if  there  were  any  doubt. 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


423 


Mr.  Effingham  himself,  who  is  so  cool-headed  and  cautious, 
says  there  is  now  sufficient  proof  to  make  it  good  in  any 
court  in  America.  That  point  may  be  set  down  as  settled, 
and,  for  my  part,  I  rejoice  it  is  so,  since  Mr.  John  Effing¬ 
ham  has  so  long  passed  for  an  old  bachelor,  that  it  is  a  credit 
to  the  corps  to  find  one  of  them  the  father  of  so  noble  a 
son.” 

Here  the  commodore  dropped  his  anchor,  and  the  two 
friends  began  to  fish.  For  an  hour  neither  talked  much, 
but  having  obtained  the  necessary  stock  of  perch,  they 
landed  at  the  favorite  spring,  and  prepared  a  fry.  While 
seated  on  the  grass,  alternating  between  the  potations  of 
punch  and  the  mastication  of  fish,  these  worthies  again 
renewed  the  dialogue  in  their  usual  discursive,  philosophical, 
and  sentimental  manner. 

“  We  are  citizens  of  a  surprisingly  great  country,  commo¬ 
dore,”  commenced  Mr.  Truck,  after  one  of  his  heaviest 
draughts ;  “  everybody  says  it,  from  Maine  to  Florida,  and 
what  everybody  says  must  be  true.” 

“Just  so,  sir.  I  sometimes  wonder  how  so  great  a  coun¬ 
try  ever  came  to  produce  so  little  a  man  as  myself.” 

“  A  good  cow  may  have  a  bad  calf,  and  that  explains  the 
matter.  Have  you  many  as  virtuous  and  pious  women  in 
this  part  of  the  world  as  Mrs.  Abbott  ?  ” 

“  The  hills  and  valleys  are  filled  with  them.  You  mean 
persons  who  have  got  so  much  religion  that  they  have  no 
room  for  anything  else  ?  ” 

‘  ‘  I  shall  mourn  to  my  dying  day,  that  you  were  not 
brought  up  to  the  sea  !  If  you  discover  so  much  of  the 
right  material  on  fresh  water,  what  would  you  have  been  on 
salt  ?  The  people  who  suck  in  nutriment  from  a  brain  and 
a  conscience  like  those  of  Mr.  Dodge,  too,  commodore,  must 
get,  in  time,  to  be  surprisingly  clear-sighted.” 

“  Jnst  so  ;  his  readers  soon  overreach  themselves.  But  it 
is  of  no  great  consequence,  sir ;  the  people  of  this  part  of 
the  world  keep  nothing  long  enough  to  do  much  good  or 
much  harm.” 

“  Fond  of  change,  ha  ?  ” 

“Like  unlucky  fishermen,  always  ready  to  shift  the 


424  Ifoome  as  jfount) 


ground.  I  don’t  believe,  sir,  that  in  all  this  region  you  can 
find  a  dozen  graves  of  sons,  that  lie  near  their  fathers. 
Everybody  seems  to  have  a  mortal  aversion  to  stability.” 

“  It  is  hard  to  love  such  a  country,  commodore.” 

‘  ‘  Sir,  I  never  try  to  love  it.  God  has  given  me  a  pretty 
sheet  of  water,  that  suits  my  fancy  and  wants,  a  beautiful 
sky,  fine  green  mountains,  and  I  am  satisfied.  One  may 
love  God,  in  such  a  temple,  though  he  love  nothing  else.” 

“  Well,  I  suppose  if  you  love  nothing,  nothing  loves  you, 
and  no  injustice  is  done.” 

“Just  so,  sir.  Self  has  got  to  be  the  idol,  though  in  the 
general  scramble  a  man  is  sometimes  puzzled  to  know 
whether  he  is  himself  or  one  of  the  neighbors.” 

‘  ‘  I  wish  I  knew  your  political  sentiments,  commodore  ; 
you  have  been  communicative  on  all  subjects  but  that,  and 
I  have  taken  up  the  notion  that  you  are  a  true  philoso¬ 
pher.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  hold  myself  to  be  but  a  babe  in  swaddling-clothes 
compared  to  yourself,  sir  ;  but  such  as  my  poor  opinions  are, 
you  are  welcome  to  them.  In  the  first  place,  then,  sir,  I 
have  lived  long  enough  on  this  water  to  know  that  every 
man  is  a  lover  of  liberty  in  his  own  person,  and  that  he 
has  a  secret  distaste  for  it  in  the  persons  of  other  people. 
Then,  sir,  I  have  got  to  understand  that  patriotism  means 
bread  and  cheese,  and  that  opposition  is  every  man  for  him¬ 
self.” 

“  If  the  truth  were  known,  I  believe,  commodore,  you 
have  buoyed  out  the  channel  !  ’  ’ 

“Just  so.  After  being  pulled  about  by  the  salt  of  the 
land,  and  using  my  freeman’s  privileges  at  their  command, 
until  I  got  tired  of  so  much  liberty,  sir,  I  have  resigned, 
and  retired  to  private  life,  doing  most  of  my  own  thinking 
out  here  on  the  Otsego  water,  like  a  poor  slave  as  I  am.” 

“  You  ought  to  be  chosen  the  next  President !  ” 

“  I  owe  my  present  emancipation,  sir,  to  the  sogdollager. 
I  first  began  to  reason  about  such  a  man  as  this  Mr.  Dodge, 
who  has  thrust  himself  and  his  ignorance  together  into  the 
village,  lately,  as  an  expounder  of  truth,  and  a  ray  of  light 
to  the  blind.  Well,  sir,  I  said  to  myself,  if  this  man  be  the 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


425 


man  I  know  him  to  be  as  a  man,  can  lie  be  anything  better 
as  an  editor  ?  ’  ’ 

That  was  a  home  question  put  to  yourself,  commodore  ; 
how  did  you  answer  it  ?  ” 

“The  answer  was  satisfactory,  sir,  to  myself,  whatever  it 
might  be  to  other  people.  I  stopped  his  paper,  and  set  up 
for  myself.  Just  about  that  time  the  sogdollager  nibbled,  -A 
and  instead  of  trying  to  be  a  great  man,  over  the  shoulders 
of  the  patriots  and  sages  of  the  land,  I  endeavored  to  im¬ 
mortalize  myself  by  hooking  him.  I  go  to  the  elections  ] 
now,  for  that  I  feel  to  be  a  duty,  but  instead  of  allowing  a 
man  like  this  Mr.  Dodge  to  tell  me  how  to  vote,  I  vote  for 
the  man  in  public  that  I  would  trust  in  private.”  J. 

“  Excellent  !  I  honor  you  more  and  more  every  minute  I 
pass  in  your  society.  We  will  now  drink  to  the  future  hap¬ 
piness  of  those  who  will  become  brides  and  bridegrooms 
to-morrow.  If  all  men  were  as  philosophical  and  as  learned 
as  you,  commodore,  the  human  race  would  be  in  a  fairer 
way  than  they  are  to-day.” 

“Just  so;  I  drink  to  them  with  all  my  heart.  Is  it  not 
surprising,  sir,  that  people  like  Mrs.  Abbott  and  Mr.  Dodge 
should  have  it  in  their  power  to  injure  such  as  those  whose 
happiness  we  have  just  had  the  honor  of  commemorating  in 
advance  ? ’  ’ 

“Why,  commodore,  a  fly  may  bite  an  elephant,  if  he  can 
find  a  weak  spot  in  his  hide.  I  do  not  altogether  understand 
the  history  of  the  marriage  of  John  Effingham,  myself ;  but 
we  see  the  issue  of  it  has  been  a  fine  son.  Now  I  hold  that 
when  a  man  fairly  marries,  he  is  bound  to  own  it,  the  same 
as  any  other  crime  ;  for  he  owes  it  to  those  who  have  not 
been  as  guilty  as  himself,  to  show  the  world  that  he  no 
longer  belongs  to  them.” 

“Just  so  ;  but  we  have  flies  in  this  part  of  the  world  that 
will  bite  through  the  toughest  hide.” 

“  That  comes  of  there  being  no  quarter-deck  in  your 
social  ship,  commodore.  Now  aboard  of  a  well-regulated 


1 

/ 


packet,  all  the  thinking  is  done  aft  ;  they  who  are  desirous 
of  knowing  whereabouts  the  vessel  is,  being  compelled  to 
wait  till  the  observations  are  taken,  or  to  sit  down  in  their 


/ 


426 


Ibome  as  jfounfc 


ignorance.  The  whole  difficulty  comes  from  the  fact  that 
sensible  people  live  so  far  apart  in  this  quarter  of  the  world, 
that  fools  have  more  room  than  should  fall  to  their  share. 
You  understand  me,  commodore?” 

“Just  so,”  said  the  commodore,  laughing  and  winking. 
“  Well,  it  is  fortunate  that  there  are  some  people  who  are 
not  quite  as  weak-minded  as  some  other  people.  I  take  it, 
Captain  Truck,  that  you  will  be  present  at  the  wedding  ?  ” 

The  captain  now  winked  in  his  turn,  looked  around  him 
to  make  sure  no  one  was  listening,  and  laying  a  finger  on 
his  nose,  he  answered  in  a  much  lower  key  than  was  usual 
for  him, — 

“  You  can  keep  a  secret,  I  know,  commodore.  Now  what 
I  have  to  say  is  not  to  be  told  to  Mrs.  Abbott,  in  order  that 
it  may  be  repeated  and  multiplied,  but  is  to  be  kept  as  snug 
as  your  bait  in  the  bait-box.” 

“  You  know  your  man,  sir.” 

“Well,  then,  about  ten  minutes  before  the  clock  strikes 
nine,  to-morrow  morning,  do  you  slip  into  the  gallery  of 
New  St.  Paul’s,  and  you  shall  see  beauty  and  modesty,  when 
‘  unadorned,  adorned  the  most.’  You  comprehend?  ” 

“Just  so,”  and  the  hand  was  flourished  even  more  than 
usual. 

‘  ‘  It  does  not  become  us  bachelors  to  be  too  lenient  to 
matrimony,  but  I  should  be  an  unhappy  man  were  I  not  to 
witness  the  marriage  of  Paul  Powis  to  Kve  Kffingham.” 

Here  both  the  worthies  “freshened  the  nip,”  as  Captain 
Truck  called  it,  and  then  the  conversation  soon  got  to  be 
too  philosophical  and  contemplative  for  this  unpretending 
record  of  events  and  ideas. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

**  Then  plainly  know,  my  heart’s  dear  love  is  set 
On  the  fair  daughter  of  rich  Capulet ; 

As  mine  on  hers,  so  hers  is  set  on  mine  ; 

And  all  combined,  save  what  thou  must  confine 
By  holy  marriage.” 

Rotneo  and  Juliet. 

THE  morning  chosen  for  the  nuptials  of  Eve  and 
Grace  arrived,  and  all  the  inmates  of  the  Wigwam 
were  early  afoot,  though  the  utmost  care  had 
been  taken  to  prevent  the  intelligence  of  the  ap¬ 
proaching  ceremony  from  getting  into  the  village.  They 
little  knew,  however,  how  closely  they  were  watched  ;  the 
mean  artifices  that  were  resorted  to  by  some  who  called 
themselves  their  neighbors,  to  tamper  with  servants,  to 
obtain  food  for  conjecture,  and  to  justify  to  themselves  their 
exaggerations,  falsehoods,  and  frauds.  The  news  did  leak 
out,  as  will  presently  be  seen,  and  through  a  channel  that 
may  cause  the  reader  who  is  unacquainted  with  some  of 
the  peculiarities  of  American  life,  a  little  surprise. 

We  have  frequently  alluded  to  Annette,  the  femme  de 
chambre  that  had  followed  Eve  from  Europe,  although  we 
have  had  no  occasion  to  dwell  on  her  character,  which  was 
that  of  a  woman  of  her  class,  as  they  are  well  known  to 
exist  in  France.  Annette  was  young,  had  bright,  spark¬ 
ling  black  eyes,  was  well  made,  and  had  the  usual  tour- 
nure  and  manner  of  a  Parisian  grisette.  As  it  is  the 
besetting  weakness  of  all  provincial  habits  to  mistake 
graces  for  grace,  flourishes  for  elegance,  and  exaggeration 
for  merit,  Annette  soon  acquired  a  reputation  in  her  circle, 
as  a  woman  of  more  than  usual  claims  to  distinction.  Her 


428 


ibome  as  ffounb 


attire  was  in  the  height  of  the  fashion,  being  of  Eve’s  cast¬ 
off  clothes,  and  of  the  best  materials,  and  attire  is  also  a 
point  that  is  not  without  its  influence  on  those  who  are 
unaccustomed  to  the  world. 

As  the  double  ceremony  was  to  take  place  before  break¬ 
fast,  Annette  was  early  employed  about  the  person  of  her 
young  mistress,  adorning  it  in  the  bridal  robes.  While  she 
worked  at  her  usual  employment,  the  attendant  appeared 
unusually  agitated,  and  several  times  pins  were  badly 
pointed,  and  new  arrangements  had  to  supersede  or  to  sup¬ 
ply  the  deficiencies  of  her  mistakes.  Eve  was  always  a 
model  of  patience,  and  she  bore  with  these  little  oversights 
with  a  quiet  that  would  have  given  Paul  an  additional 
pledge  of  her  admirable  self-command,  as  well  as  of  a  sweet¬ 
ness  of  temper  that,  in  truth,  raised  her  almost  above  the 
commoner  feelings  of  mortality. 

“  Vo  us  etes  u?i  peu  agitee,  ce  matin ,  ma  bo?me  Annette” 
she  merely  observed,  when  her  maid  had  committed  a  blun¬ 
der  more  material  than  common. 

‘ ‘  f  espere  que  Mademoiselle  a  etc  contente  de  moi ,  jusqu' a 
present ,”  returned  Annette,  vexed  with  her  own  awkward¬ 
ness,  and  speaking  in  the  manner  in  which  it  is  usual  to 
announce  an  intention  to  quit  a  service. 

“  Certainly,  Annette,  you  have  conducted  yourself  well, 
and  are  very  expert  in  your  metier.  But  why  do  you  ask 
this  question  j  ust  at  this  moment  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Par ceque — because — with  Mademoiselle’s  permission,  I 
intended  to  ask  for  my  congi” 

‘  ‘  Conge  !  Do  you  think  of  quitting  me,  Annette  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  It  would  make  me  happier  than  anything  else  to  die  in 
the  service  of  Mademoiselle,  but  we  are  all  subject  to  our 
destiny,” — the  conversation  was  in  French, — “and  mine 
compels  me  to  cease  my  services  as  a  femme  de  chambre .” 

“This  is  a  sudden,  and  for  one  in  a  strange  country,  an 
extraordinary  resolution.  May  I  ask,  Annette,  what  you 
propose  to  do  ?  ” 

Here  the  woman  gave  herself  certain  airs,  endeavored 
to  blush,  did  look  at  the  carpet  with  a  studied  modesty 
that  might  have  deceived  one  who  did  not  know  the  genus. 


Ifoome  as  jfounfc 


429 


and  announced  her  intention  to  get  married,  too,  at  the  end 
of  the  present  month. 

“Married!”  repeated  Eve,  “surely  not  to  old  Pierre, 
Annette  ?  ” 

“  Pierre,  Mademoiselle  !  I  shall  not  condescend  to  look  at 
Pierre.  Je  vais  me  marier  avec  un  avocat .” 

*  ‘  Un  avocat !  ’  ’ 

“  Out,  Mademoiselle.  I  will  marry  myself  with  Monsieur 
Aristabule  Bragg,  if  Mademoiselle  shall  permit.” 

Eve  was  perfectly  mute  with  astonishment,  notwithstand¬ 
ing  the  proofs  she  had  often  seen  of  the  wide  range  that  the 
ambition  of  an  American  of  a  certain  class  allows  itself. 
Of  course,  she  remembered  the  conversation  on  the  Point, 
and  it  would  not  have  been  in  nature,  had  not  a  mistress 
who  had  been  so  lately  wTooed,  felt  some  surprise  at  finding 
her  discarded  suitor  so  soon  seeking  consolation  in  the 
smiles  of  her  own  maid.  Still  her  surprise  was  less  than 
that  which  the  reader  will  probably  experience  at  this 
announcement ;  for,  as  has  just  been  said,  she  had  seen  too 
much  of  the  active  and  pliant  enterprise  of  the  lover,  to  feel 
much  wonder  at  any  of  his  moral  tour's  de  force.  Even 
Eve,  however,  wTas  not  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  views 
and  policy  that  had  led  Aristabulus  to  seek  this  consumma¬ 
tion  to  his  matrimonial  schemes,  which  must  be  explained 
explicitly  in  order  that  they  may  be  properly  understood. 

Mr.  Bragghad  no  notion  of  any  distinctions  in  the  world, 
beyond  those  which  came  from  money  and  political  success. 
P'or  the  first  he  had  a  practical  deference  that  was  as  pro¬ 
found  as  his  wishes  for  its  enjoyments  ;  and  for  the 
last  he  felt  precisely  the  sort  of  reverence  that  one  educated 
under  a  feudal  system  would  feel  for  a  feudal  lord.  The 
first,  after  several  unsuccessful  efforts,  he  had  found  un¬ 
attainable  by  means  of  matrimony,  and  he  turned  his 
thoughts  towards  Annette,  whom  he  had  for  some  months 
held  in  reserve,  in  the  event  of  his  failing  with  Eve  and 
Grace,  for  on  both  these  heiresses  had  he  entertained  designs, 
as  a  pis-aller.  Annette  was  a  dressmaker  of  approved  taste, 
her  person  was  sufficiently  attractive,  her  broken  English 
gave  piquancy  to  thoughts  of  no  great  depth,  she  was  of  a 


430 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


suitable  age,  and  he  had  made  her  proposals  and  been 
accepted,  as  soon  as  it  was  ascertained  that  Eve  and  Grace 
were  irretrievably  lost  to  him.  Of  course,  the  Parisienne 
did  not  hesitate  an  instant  about  becoming  the  wife  of 
U7i  avocat ;  for,  agreeably  to  her  habits,  matrimony  was  a 
legitimate  means  of  bettering  her  condition  in  life.  The 
plan  was  soon  arranged.  They  were  to  be  married  as  soon 
as  Annette’s  month’s  notice  had  expired,  and  then  they 
were  to  emigrate  to  the  far  West,  where  Mr.  Bragg  proposed 
to  practise  law,  or  keep  school,  or  to  go  to  Congress,  or  to 
turn  trader,  or  to  saw  lumber,  or,  in  short,  to  turn  his  hand 
to  anything  that  offered  ;  while  Annette  was  to  help  along 
with  the  menage  by  making  dresses,  and  teaching  French  ;  the 
latter  occupation  promising  to  be  somewhat  peripatetic,  the 
population  being  scattered,  and  few  of  the  dwTellers  in  the 
interior  deeming  it  necessary  to  take  more  than  a  quarter’s 
instruction  in  any  of  the  higher  branches  of  education  ;  the 
object  being  to  study,  as  it  is  called,  and  not  to  know. 
Aristabulus,  who  was  filled  with  go-aheadism,  wTould  have 
shortened  the  delay,  but  this  Annette  positively  resisted  ; 
her  esprit  de  corps  as  a  servant,  and  all  her  notions  of  jus¬ 
tice,  repudiating  the  notion  that  the  connection  which  had 
existed  so  long  betwreen  Eve  and  herself  was  to  be  cut  off 
at  a  moment’s  warning.  So  diametrically  were  the  ideas 
of  the  fianch  opposed  to  each  other  on  this  point,  that  at 
one  time  it  threatened  a  rupture,  Mr.  Bragg  asserting  the 
natural  independence  of  a  man  to  a  degree  that  would  have 
rendered  him  independent  of  all  obligations  that  were  not 
effectually  enacted  by  the  law,  and  Annette  maintaining  the 
dignity  of  a  European  femme  de  chambre ,  whose  sense 
of  propriety  demanded  that  she  should  not  quit  her  place 
without  giving  a  month’s  warning.  The  affair  was  happily 
decided  by  Aristabulus’  receiving  a  commission  to  tend  a 
store  in  the  absence  of  its  owner ;  Mr.  Effingham,  on  a 
hint  from  his  daughter,  having  profited  by  the  annual 
expiration  of  the  engagement,  to  bring  their  connection  to 
an  end. 

This  termination  to  the  passion  of  Mr.  Bragg  -would 
have  afforded  Eve  a  good  deal  of  amusement  at  any  other 


Dome  as  jfounfc 


431 


moment  ;  but  a  bride  cannot  be  expected  to  give  too  much 
of  her  attention  to  the  felicity  and  prospects  of  those  who 
have  no  natural  or  acquired  claims  to  her  affection.  The 
cousins  met,  attired  for  the  ceremony,  in  Mr.  Effingham’s 
room,  where  he  soon  came  in  person  to  lead  them  to 
the  drawing-room.  It  is  seldom  that  two  more  lovely  young 
women  are  brought  together  on  similar  occasions.  As  Mr. 
Effingham  stood  between  them,  holding  a  hand  of  each, 
his  moistened  eyes  turned  from  one  to  the  other  in  honest 
pride,  and  in  an  admiration  that  even  his  tenderness  could 
not  restrain.  The  toilettes  were  as  simple  as  the  marriage 
ceremony  will  permit ;  for  it  was  intended  that  there 
should  be  no  unnecessary  parade  ;  and  perhaps  the  delicate 
beauty  of  each  of  the  brides  was  rendered  the  more  attrac¬ 
tive  by  this  simplicity,  as  it  has  often  been  justly  remarked 
that  the  fair  of  this  country  are  more  winning  in  dress  of 
a  less  conventional  character  than  when  in  the  elaborate 
and  regulated  attire  of  ceremonies.  As  might  have  been 
expected,  there  was  most  of  soul  and  feeling  in  Eve’s 
countenance,  though  Grace  wore  an  air  of  charming 
modesty  and  nature.  Both  were  unaffected,  simple,  and 
graceful,  and  we  may  add  that  both  trembled  as  Mr.  Effing¬ 
ham  took  their  hands. 

“This  is  a  pleasing  and  yet  a  painful  hour,”  said  that 
kind  and  excellent  man  ;  “  one  in  which  I  gain  a  son,  and 
lose  a  daughter.  ’  ’ 

And  /,  dearest  uncle,  *  ’  exclaimed  Grace,  whose  feel¬ 
ings  trembled  on  her  eyelids,  like  the  dew  ready  to  drop 
from  the  leaf,  ‘  ‘  have  /  no  connection  with  your  feel¬ 
ings  ?  ” 

“You  are  the  daughter  that  I  lose,  my  child,  for  Eve 
will  still  remain  with  me.  But  Templemore  has  promised 
to  be  grateful,  and  I  will  trust  his  word.” 

Mr.  Effingham  then  embraced  with  fervor  both  the 
charming  young  women,  who  stood  apparelled  for  the  most 
important  event  of  their  lives,  lovely  in  their  youth,  beauty, 
innocence,  and  modesty  ;  and  taking  an  arm  of  each,  he 
led  them  below.  John  Effingham,  the  two  bridegrooms, 
Captain  Ducie,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  Mrs.  Hawker, 


432 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


Captain  Truck,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  Annette,  and  Ann 
Sidley  were  all  assembled  in  the  drawing-room,  ready  to 
receive  them  ;  and  as  soon  as  shawls  were  thrown  around 
Eve  and  Grace,  in  order  to  conceal  the  wedding  dresses, 
the  whole  party  proceeded  to  the  church. 

The  distance  between  the  Wigwam  and  New  St.  Paul’s 
was  very  trifling,  the  solemn  pines  of  the  church-yard 
blending,  from  many  points,  with  the  gayer  trees  in  the 
grounds  of  the  former  ;  and  as  the  buildings  in  this  part 
of  the  village  were  few,  the  whole  of  the  bridal  train 
entered  the  tower  unobserved  by  the  eyes  of  the  curious. 
The  clergyman  was  waiting  in  the  chancel,  and  as  each  of 
the  young  men  led  the  object  of  his  choice  immediately  to 
the  altar,  the  double  ceremony  began  without  delay.  At 
this  instant  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge  and  Mrs.  Abbott  ad¬ 
vanced  from  the  rear  of  the  gallery,  and  coolly  took  their 
seats  in  its  front.  Neither  belonged  to  this  particular 
church,  though,  having  discovered  that  the  marriages  -were 
to  take  place  that  morning,  by  means  of  Annette,  they  had 
no  scruples  on  the  score  of  delicacy  about  thrusting  them¬ 
selves  forward  on  the  occasion  ;  for,  to  the  latest  moment, 
that  publicity-principle  which  appeared  to  be  interwoven 
with  their  very  natures,  induced  them  to  think  that  noth¬ 
ing  was  so  sacred  as  to  be  placed  beyond  the  reach  of 
curiosity.  They  entered  the  church,  because  the  church 
they  held  to  be  a  public  place,  precisely  on  the  principle 
that  others  of  their  class  conceive  if  a  gate  be  blown  open 
by  accident,  it  removes  all  the  moral  defences  against 
trespassers  as  it  removes  the  physical. 

The  solemn  language  of  the  prayers  and  vows  proceeded 
none  the  less  for  the  presence  of  these  unwelcome  intrud¬ 
ers  ;  for  at  that  grave  moment,  all  other  thoughts  were 
hushed  in  those  that  more  properly  belonged  to  the  scene. 
When  the  clergyman  made  the  usual  appeal  to  know  if 
any  man  could  give  a  reason  why  those  who  stood  before 
him  should  not  be  united  in  holy  wedlock,  Mrs.  Abbott 
nudged  Mr.  Dodge,  and,  in  the  fulness  of  her  discontent, 
eagerly  inquired  in  a  whisper  if  it  were  not  possible  to 
raise  some  valid  objection.  Could  she  have  had  her  pious 


ibome  as  fount* 


4  33 


wish,  the  simple,  unpretending,  meek,  and  church-going 
Eve  should  never  be  married.  But  the  editor  was  not  a 
man  to  act  openly  in  anything,  his  particular  province 
lying  in  insinuations  and  innuendoes.  As  a  hint  would  not 
now  be  available,  he  determined  to  postpone  his  revenge 
to  a  future  day.  We  say  revenge,  for  Steadfast  was  of 
the  class  that  consider  any  happiness  or  advantage  in  which 
they  are  not  ample  participators,  wrongs  done  to  them- 
selves. 

That  is  a  wise  regulation  of  the  Church  which  makes  the 
marriage  ceremony  brief,  for  the  intensity  of  the  feelings 
it  oftens  creates  would  frequently  become  too  powerful 
to  be  suppressed,  were  it  unnecessarily  prolonged.  Mr. 
Effingham  gave  away  both  the  brides,  the  one  in  the  qual¬ 
ity  of  parent,  the  other  in  that  of  guardian,  and  neither  of 
the  bridegrooms  got  the  ring  on  the  wrong  finger.  This  is 
all  we  have  to  say  of  the  immediate  scene  at  the  altar.  As 
soon  as  the  benediction  was  pronounced,  and  the  brides 
were  released  from  the  first  embraces  of  their  husbands, 
Mr.  Effingham,  without  even  kissing  Eve,  threw  the  shawls 
over  their  shoulders,  and,  taking  an  arm  of  each,  he  led 
them  rapidly  from  the  church,  for  he  felt  reluctant  to 
suffer  the  holy  feelings  that  were  uppermost  in  his  heart 
to  be  the  spectacle  of  rude  and  obtrusive  observers.  At 
the  door  he  relinquished  Eve  to  Paul,  and  Grace  to  Sir 
George,  with  a  silent  pressure  of  the  hand  of  each,  and 
signed  for  them  to  proceed  towards  the  Wigwam.  He 
was  obeyed,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  from  the  time 
they  had  left  the  drawing-room,  the  whole  party  was  again 
assembled  in  it. 

What  a  change  had  been  produced  in  the  situation  of  so 
many  in  that  brief  interval  ! 

“Father!”  Eve  whispered,  while  Mr.  Effingham  folded 
her  to  his  heart,  the  unbidden  tears  falling  from  both  their 
eyes,  “lam  still  thine  !  ” 

‘  ‘  It  would  break  my  heart  to  think  otherwise,  darling. 
No,  no — I  have  not  lost  a  daughter,  but  have  gained  a 
son.” 

“  And  what  place  am  I  to  occupy  in  this  scene  of  fond- 


434 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


ness?”  inquired  John  Effingham,  who  had  considerately 
paid  his  compliments  to  Grace  first,  that  she  might  not 
feel  forgotten  at  such  a  moment,  and  who  had  so  managed 
that  she  was  now  receiving  the  congratulations  of  the  rest 
of  the  party  ;  “  am  I  to  lose  both  son  and  daughter  ?  ’  ’ 

Eve,  smiling  sweetly  through  her  tears,  raised  herself 
from  her  own  father’s  arms,  and  was  received  in  those  of  her 
husband’s  parent.  After  he  had  fondly  kissed  her  forehead 
several  times,  without  withdrawing  from  his  bosom,  she 
parted  the  rich  hair  on  his  forehead,  passing  her  hand  down 
his  face  like  an  infant,  and  said  softly, — 

“  Cousin  Jack  !  ” 

‘  ‘  I  believe  this  must  be  my  rank  and  estimation  still  ! 
Paul  shall  make  no  difference  in  our  feeling  ;  we  will  love 
each  other  as  we  have  ever  done.” 

“  Paul  can  be  nothing  new  between  you  and  me.  You 
have  always  been  a  second  father  in  my  eyes,  and  in  my 
heart  too,  dear,  dear  cousin  Jack.” 

John  Effingham  pressed  the  beautiful,  ardent,  blushing 
girl  to  his  bosom  again  ;  and  as  he  did  so,  both  felt,  notwith¬ 
standing  their  language,  that  a  new  and  dearer  tie  than  ever 
bound  them  together.  Eve  now  received  the  compliments 
of  the  rest  of  the  party,  when  the  two  brides  retired  to  change 
the  dresses  in  which  they  had  appeared  at  the  altar,  for  their 
more  ordinary  attire. 

In  her  own  dressing-room  Eve  found  Ann  Sidley  waiting 
with  impatience  to  pour  out  her  feelings,  the  honest  and 
affectionate  creature  being  much  too  sensitive  to  open  the 
floodgates  of  her  emotions  in  the  presence  of  third  parties. 

“  Ma’am— Miss  Eve— Mrs.  Effingham  !  ”  she  exclaimed, 
as  soon  as  her  young  mistress  entered,  afraid  of  saying  too 
much,  now  that  her  nursling  had  become  a  married  woman. 

“  My  kind  and  good  Nanny  !  ”  said  Eve,  taking  her  old 
nurse  in  her  arms,  their  tears  mingling  in  silence  for  near  a 
minute.  “  You  have  seen  your  child  enter  on  the  last  of  her 
great  earthly  engagements,  Nanny,  and  I  know  you  pray 

that  they  may  prove  happy.” 

“  I  do — I  do — I  do — ma’am — madam — Miss  Eve — what 

am  I  to  call  you  in  future,  ma’am  ?  ’ 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


435 


Call  me  Miss  Eve,  as  you  have  done  since  my  childhood, 
dearest  Nanny.” 

Nanny  received  this  permission  with  delight,  and  twenty 
times  that  morning  she  availed  herself  of  it ;  and  she  con¬ 
tinued  to  use  the  term  until,  two  years  later,  she  danced  a 
miniature  Eve  on  her  knee,  as  she  had  done  its  mother  before 
her,  when  matronly  rank  began  silently  to  assert  its  rights, 
and  our  present  bride  became  Mrs.  Effingham. 

“  I  shall  not  quit  you,  ma’am,  now  that  you  are  mar¬ 
ried  ?  ’  ’  Ann  Sidley  timidly  asked  ;  for,  although  she  could 
scarcely  think  such  an  event  within  the  bounds  of  proba¬ 
bility,  and  Eve  had  already  more  than  once  assured  her  of 
the  contrary  with  her  own  tongue,  still  did  she  love  to  have 
assurance  made  doubly  sure.  “  I  hope  nothing  will  ever 
happen  to  make  me  quit  you,  ma’am  ?  ” 

“  Nothing  of  that  sort,  with  my  consent,  ever  shall  hap¬ 
pen,  my  excellent  Nanny.  And  now  that  Annette  is  about 
to  get  married,  I  shall  have  more  than  the  usual  necessity 
for  your  services.  ’  ’ 

“And  Mamerzelle,  ma’am?”  inquired  Nanny,  with 
sparkling  eyes  ;  “  I  suppose  she,  too,  will  return  to  her  own 
country,  now  you  know  everything,  and  have  no  further 
occasion  for  her  ?  ’  ’ 

“Mademoiselle  Viefville  will  return  to  France  in  the 
autumn,  but  it  will  be  with  us  all  ;  for  my  dear  father, 
cousin  Jack,  my  husband  ” — Eve  blushed  as  she  pronounced 
the  novel  word — ‘  ‘  and  myself,  not  forgetting  you,  my  old 
nurse,  will  all  sail  for  England,  with  Sir  George  and  Eady 
Templemore,  on  our  way  to  Italy,  the  first  week  in  October.” 

“  I  care  not,  ma’am,  so  that  I  go  with  you.  I  would 
rather  we  did  not  live  in  a  country  where  I  cannot  under¬ 
stand  all  that  the  people  say  to  you,  but  wherever  you  are 
will  be  my  earthly  paradise.” 

Eve  kissed  the  true-hearted  woman,  and,  Annette  enter¬ 
ing,  she  changed  her  dress. 

The  two  brides  met  at  the  head  of  the  great  stairs,  on  their 
way  back  to  the  drawing-room.  Eve  was  a  little  in  advance, 
but  with  a  half-concealed  smile  she  gave  way  to  Grace,  cour- 
tesying  gravely,  and  saying, — 


4  36 


ibome  as  ffounfc 


“It  does  not  become  me  to  precede  Lady  Templemore — I, 
who  am  only  Mrs.  Paul  Effingham.” 

“  Nay,  dear  Eve,  I  am  not  so  weak  as  you  imagine.  Do 
you  not  think  I  should  have  married  him  had  he  not  been  a 
baronet  ? ’  ’ 

“Templemore,  my  dear  coz,  is  a  man  any  woman  might 
love,  and  I  believe,  as  firmly  as  I  hope  it  sincerely,  that  he 
will  make  you  happy.  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  And  yet  there  is  one  woman  who  would  not  love  him, 
Eve!” 

Eve  looked  steadily  at  her  cousin  for  a  moment,  was 
startled,  and  then  she  felt  gratified  that  Sir  George  had  been 
so  honest,  for  the  frankness  and  manliness  of  his  avowal 
was  a  pledge  of  the  good  faith  and  sincerity  of  his  charac¬ 
ter.  She  took  her  cousin  affectionately  by  the  hand,  and 
said, — 

“  Grace,  this  confidence  is  the  highest  compliment  you  can 
pay  me,  and  it  merits  a  return.  That  Sir  George  Temple¬ 
more  may  have  had  a  passing  inclination  for  one  who  so  lit¬ 
tle  deserved  it,  is  possibly  true — but  my  affections  were 
another’s  before  I  knew  him.” 

“  You  never  would  have  married  Templemore,  Eve  ;  he 
says  himself,  now,  that  you  are  quite  too  continental,  as  he 
calls  it,  to  like  an  Englishman.” 

“  Then  I  shall  take  the  first  good  occasion  to  undeceive 
him  ;  for  I  do  like  an  Englishman,  and  he  is  the  identical 
man.” 

As  few  women  are  jealous  on  their  wedding-day,  Grace 
took  this  in  good  part,  and  they  descended  the  stairs  together 
side  by  side,  reflecting  each  other’s  happiness  in  their 
timid  but  conscious  smiles.  In  the  great  hall  they  were 
met  by  the  bridegrooms,  and  each  taking  the  arm  of  him 
who  had  now  become  of  so  vast  importance  to  her,  they 
paced  the  room  to  and  fro,  until  summoned  to  the  dejeuner  a 
la  fourchette,  which  had  been  prepared  under  the  especial 
superintendence  of  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  after  the  manner 
of  her  country. 

Wedding-days,  like  all  formally  prepared  festivals,  are 
apt  to  go  off  a  little  heavily.  Such,  however,  was  not  the 


Iboine  as  ffounb 


437 


case  with  this,  for  every  appearance  of  premeditation  and 
preparation  vanished  with  this  meal.  It  is  true  the  family 
did  not  quit  the  grounds,  but,  with  this  exception,  ease  and 
tranquil  happiness  reigned  throughout.  Captain  Truck 
was  alone  disposed  to  be  sentimental,  and  more  than  once, 
as  he  looked  about  him,  he  expressed  his  doubts  whether 
he  had  pursued  the  right  course  to  attain  happiness. 

“I  find  myself  in  a  solitary  category,”  he  said  at  the 
dinner- table  in  the  evening.  “Mrs.  Hawker  and  both  the 
Messrs.  Effingham  have  been  married  ;  everybody  else  is 
married,  and  I  believe  I  must  take  refuge  in  saying  that  I 
will  be  married,  if  I  can  now  persuade  any  one  to  have  me. 
Even  Mr.  Powis,  my  right-hand  man  in  all  that  African 
affair,  has  deserted  me,  and  left  me  like  a  single  dead  pine 
in  one  of  your  clearings,  or  a  jewel -block  dangling  at  a 
yard-arm  without  a  sheave.  Mrs.  Bride” — the  captain 
styled  Eve  thus  throughout  the  day,  to  the  utter  neglect 
of  the  claims  of  Eady  Templemore — “  Mrs.  Bride,  we  will 
consider  my  forlorn  condition  more  philosophically  when  I 
shall  have  the  honor  to  take  you,  and  so  many  of  this  blessed 
party,  back  again  to  Europe,  where  I  found  you.  Under 
your  advice  I  think  I  might  even  yet  venture — ” 

“And  I  am  overlooked  entirely,”  cried  Mr.  Howel,  who 
had  been  invited  to  make  one  at  the  wedding-feast ;  ‘  ‘  what 
is  to  become  of  me,  Captain  Truck,  if  this  marrying  mania 
go  any  further  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  have  long  had  a  plan  for  your  welfare,  my  dear  sir, 
that  I  will  take  this  opportunity  to  divulge  ;  I  propose, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  that  we  enlist  Mr.  Howel  in  our 
project  for  this  autumn,  and  that  we  carry  him  with  us  to 
Europe.  I  shall  be  proud  to  have  the  honor  of  introducing 
him  to  his  old  friend,  the  island  of  Great  Britain.” 

“  Ah  !  that  is  a  happiness,  I  fear,  that  is  not  in  reserve 
for  me!”  said  Mr.  Howel,  shaking  his  head.  “I  have 
thought  of  these  things  in  my  time,  but  age  will  now  defeat 
any  such  hopes.” 

“Age,  Tom  Howel!”  said  John  Effingham;  “you  are 
but  fifty,  like  Ned  and  myself.  We  were  all  boys  together 
forty  years  ago,  and  yet  you  find  us,  who  have  so  lately 


43§ 


tf>ome  as  jfounfc 


returned,  ready  to  take  a  fresh  departure.  Pluck  up  heart ; 
there  may  be  a  steamboat  ready  to  bring  you  back  by  the 
time  you  wish  to  return.” 

“Never,”  said  Captain  Truck,  positively.  “  Indies  and 
gentlemen,  it  is  morally  impossible  that  the  Atlantic  should 
ever  be  navigated  by  steamers.  That  doctrine  I  shall  main¬ 
tain  to  my  dying  day  ;  but  what  need  of  a  steamer  when  we 
have  packets  like  palaces  ?  ’  * 

“  I  did  not  know,  captain,  that  you  entertained  so  hearty 
a  respect  for  Great  Britian — it  is  encouraging,  really,  to 
find  so  generous  a  feeling  toward  the  old  island  in  one  of 
her  descendants.  Sir  George  and  Lady  Templemore,  per¬ 
mit  me  to  drink  to  your  lasting  felicity.” 

“Ay — ay — I  entertain  no  ill-will  to  England,  though  her 
tobacco  laws  are  none  of  the  genteelest.  But  my  wish  to 
export  you,  Mr.  Howel,  is  less  from  a  desire  to  show  you 
England  than  to  let  you  perceive  that  there  are  other  coun¬ 
tries  in  Europe — ” 

‘  ‘  Other  countries  !  Surely  you  do  not  suppose  I  am  so 
ignorant  of  geography  as  to  believe  that  there  are  no  other 
countries  in  Europe — no  such  places  as  Hanover,  Brunswick, 
and  Brunswick  Lunenberg,  and  Denmark  ;  the  sister  of  old 
George  the  Third  married  the  king  of  that  country  ;  and 
Wurtemberg,  the  king  of  which  married  the  Princess 
Royal — ’  ’ 

“And  Mecklenburg-Strelitz,”  added  John  Effingham 
gravety,  ‘  ‘  a  princess  of  which  actually  married  George  the 
Third  proprifr  persond,  as  well  as  by  proxy.  Nothing  can 
be  plainer  than  your  geography,  Howel  ;  but,  in  addition 
to  these  particular  regions,  our  worthy  friend  the  captain 
wishes  you  to  know  also,  that  there  are  such  places  as 
France,  and  Austria,  and  Russia,  and  Italy ;  though  the 
latter  can  scarcely  repay  a  man  for  the  trouble  of  visiting  it.” 

“You  have  guessed  my  motive,  Mr.  John  Effingham, 
and  expressed  it  much  more  discreetly  than  I  could  possi¬ 
bly  have  done,”  cried  the  captain.  “  If  Mr.  Howel  will  do 
me  the  honor  to  take  passage  with  me,  going  and  coming, 
I  shall  consider  the  pleasure  of  his  remarks  on  men  and 
things  as  one  of  the  greatest  advantages  I  ever  possessed.” 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


439 


“  I  do  not  know  but  I  might  be  induced  to  venture  as  far 
as  England,  but  not  a  foot  farther.” 

“  Pas  <%  Paris  /”  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who 
wondered  why  any  rational  being  would  take  the  trouble  to 
cross  the  Atlantic  merely  to  see  ce  melancolique  Londres  ; 
“you  wTill  go  to  Paris  for  my  sake,  Monsieur  Howel?  ” 

“For  your  sake,  indeed,  Ma’m’selle,  I  would  do  any¬ 
thing,  but  hardly  for  my  own.  I  confess  I  have  thought 
of  this,  and  I  will  think  of  it  further.  I  should  like  to  see 
the  King  of  England  and  the  House  of  Lords,  I  confess, 
before  I  die.” 

“  Ay,  and  the  Tower,  and  the  Boar’s-Head  at  East-Cheap, 
and  the  statue  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  and  London 
Bridge,  and  Richmond  Hill,  and  Bow  Street,  and  Somerset 
House,  and  Oxford  Road,  and  Bartlemy  Fair,  and  Hunger- 
ford  Market,  and  Charing-Cross — old  Charing-Cross,  Tom 
Howel  !  ”  added  John  Effingham,  with  a  good-natured  nod 
of  the  head. 

“A  wonderful  nation!”  cried  Mr.  Howel,  whose  eyes 
sparkled  as  the  other  proceeded  in  his  enumeration  of 
wonders.  “I  do  not  think,  after  all,  that  I  can  die  in 
peace  without  seeing  some  of  these  things — all  would  be 
too  much  for  me.  How  far  is  the  Isle  of  Dogs,  now,  from 
St.  Catherine’s  Docks,  captain?” 

‘  ‘  Oh  !  but  a  few  cables’  -lengths.  If  you  will  only  stick 
to  the  ship  until  she  is  fairly  docked,  I  will  promise  you  a 
sight  of  the  Isle  of  Dogs  before  you  land,  even.  But  then 
you  must  promise  me  to  carry  out  no  tobacco  !  ” 

“No  fear  of  me ;  I  neither  smoke  nor  chew,  and  it  does 
not  surprise  me  that  a  nation  as  polished  as  the  English 
should  have  this  antipathy  to  tobacco.  And  one  might 
really  see  the  Isle  of  Dogs  before  landing  ?  It  is  a  wonder¬ 
ful  country  !  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  will  you  ever  be  able  to  die 
tranquilly  without  seeing  England  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  hope,  sir,  whenever  that  event  shall  arrive,  that  it  may 
be  met  tranquilly,  let  what  may  happen  previously.  I  do  con¬ 
fess,  in  common  with  Mrs.  Effingham,  a  longing  desire  to  see 
Italy ;  a  wish  that  I  believe  she  entertains  from  her  actual 
knowledge,  and  which  I  entertain  from  my  anticipations.” 


440 


Ifoome  as  ffounD 


“  Now  this  really  surprises  me.  What  can  Italy  possess 
to  repay  one  for  the  trouble  of  travelling  so  far  ?  ” 

“  I  trust,  cousin  Jack,”  said  Eve,  coloring  at  the  sound 
of  her  own  voice,  for  on  that  day  of  supreme  happiness  and 
intense  emotions,  she  had  got  to  be  so  sensitive  as  to  be  less 
self-possessed  than  common,  “  that  our  friend  Mr.  Wenham 
will  not  be  forgotten,  but  that  he  may  be  invited  to  join 
the  party.” 

This  representative  of  la  jeune  A merique  was  also  pres¬ 
ent  at  the  dinner,  out  of  regard  to  his  deceased  father, 
who  was  a  very  old  friend  of  Mr.  Effingham’s,  and,  being 
so  favorably  noticed  by  the  bride,  he  did  not  fail  to  reply. 

‘  ‘  I  believe  an  American  has  little  to  learn  from  any  nation 
but  his  own,”  observed  Mr.  Wenham,  with  the  complacency 
of  the  school  to  which  he  belonged,  “  although  one  might 
wish  that  all  of  this  country  should  travel,  in  order  that 
the  rest  of  the  world  might  have  the  benefit  of  the  inter¬ 
course.” 

“It  is  a  thousand  pities,”  said  John  Effingham,  “that 
one  of  our  universities,  for  instance,  was  not  ambulant. 
Old  Yale  was  so  in  its  infancy  ;  but  unlike  most  other 
creatures,  it  went  about  with  greater  ease  to  itself  when  a 
child  than  it  can  move  in  manhood.” 

“  Mr.  John  Effingham  loves  to  be  facetious,”  said  Mr. 
Wenham  with  dignity  ;  for,  while  he  was  as  credulous  as 
could  be  wished  on  the  subject  of  American  superiority, 
he  was  not  quite  as  blind  as  the  votaries  of  the  Anglo- 
American  school,  who  usually  3d  eld  the  control  of  all  their 
faculties  and  common  sense  to  their  masters  on  the  points 
connected  with  their  besetting  weakness.  “  Everybody  is 
agreed,  I  believe,  that  the  American  imparts  more  than  he 
receives  in  his  intercourse  with  Europeans.” 

The  smiles  of  the  more  experienced  of  this  young  man’s 
listeners  were  well-bred  and  concealed,  and  the  conversation 
turned  to  other  subjects.  It  was  easy  to  raise  the  laugh  on 
such  an  occasion,  and  contraty  to  the  usage  of  the  Wigwam, 
where  the  men  usually  left  the  table  with  the  other  sex, 
Captain  Truck,  John  Effingham,  Mr.  Bloomfield,  and  Mr. 
Howel,  made  what  is  called  a  night  of  it.  Much  delicious 


Ibome  as  tfounfc 


441 


claret  was  consumed,  and  the  honest  captain  was  permitted 
to  enjoy  his  cigar.  About  midnight  he  swore  he  had  half  a 
mind  to  write  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Hawker,  with  an  offer  of  his 
hand  ;  as  for  his  heart,  that  she  well  knew  she  had  pos¬ 
sessed  for  a  long  time. 

The  next  day,  about  the  hour  when  the  house  was  tran¬ 
quil,  from  the  circumstance  that  most  of  its  inmates  were 
abroad  on  their  several  avocations  of  boating,  riding,  shop¬ 
ping,  or  walking,  Eve  was  in  the  library,  her  father  having 
left  it,  a  few  minutes  before,  to  mount  his  horse.  She  was 
seated  at  a  table,  writing  a  letter  to  an  aged  relative  of  her 
own  sex,  to  communicate  the  circumstance  of  her  marriage. 
The  door  was  half  open,  and  Paul  appeared  at  it  unex¬ 
pectedly,  coming  in  search  of  his  young  bride.  His  step 
had  been  so  light,  and  so  intently  was  our  heroine  engaged 
with  her  letter,  that  his  approach  was  unnoticed,  though  it 
had  now  been  a  long  time  that  the  ear  of  Eve  had  learned 
to  know  his  tread,  and  her  heart  to  beat  at  its  welcome 
sound.  Perhaps  a  beautiful  woman  is  never  so  winningly 
lovely  as  when,  in  her  neat  morning  attire,  she  seems  fresh 
and  sweet  as  the  new-born  day.  Eve  had  paid  a  little  more 
attention  to  her  toilette  than  usual  even,  admitting  just 
enough  of  a  properly  selected  jewelry,  a  style  of  ornament 
that  so  singularly  denotes  the  refinement  of  a  gentlewoman, 
when  used  understanding^,  and  which  so  infallibly  betrays 
vulgarity  under  other  circumstances,  while  her  attire  had 
rather  more  than  its  customary  finish,  though  it  was  impos¬ 
sible  not  to  perceive,  at  a  glance,  that  she  was  in  an  undress. 
The  Parisian  skill  of  Annette,  on  which  Mr.  Bragg  based  so 
many  of  his  hopes  of  future  fortune,  had  cut  and  fitted  the 
robe  to  her  faultlessly  beautiful  person,  with  a  tact,  or  it 
might  be  truer  to  say  a  contact,  so  perfect,  that  it  even  left 
more  charms  to  be  imagined  than  it  displayed,  though  the 
outline  of  the  whole  figure  was  that  of  the  most  lovely 
womanhood.  But,  notwithstanding  the  exquisite  modelling 
of  the  whole  form,  the  almost  fair}"  lightness  of  the  full, 
swelling,  but  small  foot,  about  which  nothing  seemed  lean 
and  attenuated,  the  exquisite  hand  that  appeared  from 
among  the  ruffles  of  the  dress,  Paul  stood  longest  in  nearly 


442 


Ibonte  as  ffounfc 


breathless  admiration  of  the  countenance  of  his  ‘  ‘  bright  and 
blooming  bride.”  Perhaps  there  is  no  sentiment  so  touch¬ 
ingly  endearing  to  a  man,  as  that  which  comes  over  him  as 
he  contemplates  the  beauty,  confiding  faith,  holy  purity,  and 
truth,  that  shine  in  the  countenance  of  a  3^oung,  unpractised, 
innocent  woman,  when  she  has  so  far  overcome  her  natural 
timidity  as  to  pour  out  her  tenderness  in  his  behalf,  and  to 
submit  to  the  strongest  impulses  of  her  nature.  Such  was 
now  the  fact  with  Eve.  She  -was  writing  of  her  husband, 
and,  though  her  expressions  were  restrained  by  taste  and 
education,  they  partook  of  her  unutterable  fondness  and  de¬ 
votion.  The  tears  stood  in  her  eyes,  the  pen  trembled  in  her 
hand,  and  she  shaded  her  face  as  if  to  conceal  the  weakness 
from  herself.  Paul  was  alarmed,  he  knew  not  why,  but  Eve 
in  tears  was  a  sight  painful  to  him.  In  a  moment  he  was 
at  her  side,  with  an  arm  placed  gently  around  her  waist,  and 
he  drew  her  fondly  towards  his  bosom. 

‘  ‘  Eve — dearest  Eve  !  ”  he  said,  ‘  ‘  what  mean  these  tears  ?  ’  ’ 

The  serene  eye,  the  radiant  blush,  and  the  meek  tender¬ 
ness  that  rewarded  his  own  burst  of  feeling,  reassured  the 
young  husband,  and,  deferring  to  the  sensitive  modesty  of 
so  young  a  bride,  he  released  his  hold,  retaining  only  a  hand. 

“  It  is  happiness,  Powis — nothing  but  excess  of  happiness, 
which  makes  us  women  weaker,  I  fear,  than  even  sorrow. 

Paul  kissed  her  hands,  regarded  her  with  an  intensity  of 
admiration,  before  which  the  eyes  of  Eve  rose  and  fell,  as 
if  dazzled  while  meeting  his  looks,  and  yet  unwilling  to  lose 
them  ;  and  then  he  reverted  to  the  motive  which  had  brought 
him  to  the  library . 

“  My  father  —your  father,  that  is  now — ” 

“  Cousin  Jack  !  ” 

“  Cousin  Jack,  if  you  will,  has  just  made  me  a  present, 
which  is  second  only  to  the  greater  gift  I  received  from 
your  own  excellent  parent,  yesterday,  at  the  altar.  See, 
dearest  Eve,  he  has  bestowed  this  lovely  image  of  yourself 
on  me  ;  lovely,  though  still  so  far  from  the  truth.  And 
here  is  the  miniature  of  my  poor  mother,  also,  to  supply 
the  place  of  the  one  carried  away  by  the  Arabs.” 

Eve  gazed  long  and  wistfully  at  the  beautiful  features  of 


Ibome  as  ffounb 


443 


this  image  of  her  husband’s  mother.  She  traced  in  them 
that  pensive  thought,  that  winning  kindness,  that  had  first 
softened  her  heart  towards  Paul,  and  her  lips  trembled  as 
she  pressed  the  insensible  glass  against  them. 

“  She  must  have  been  very  handsome,  Eve,  and  there  is  a 
look  of  melancholy  tenderness  in  the  face,  that  would  seem 
almost  to  predict  an  unhappy  blighting  of  the  affections.” 

And  yet  this  young,  ingenuous,  faithful  woman  entered 
on  the  solemn  engagement  we  have  just  made,  Paul,  with  as 
many  reasonable  hopes  of  a  bright  future  as  we  ourselves  !  ’  ’ 

Not  so,  Eve  ;  confidence  and  holy  truth  were  wanting 
at  the  nuptials  of  my  parents.  When  there  is  deception  at 
the  commencement  of  such  a  contract,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
predict  the  end.” 

“I  do  not  think,  Paul,  you  ever  deceived;  that  noble 
heart  of  yours  is  too  generous  ?  ’  ’ 

“If  anything  can  make  a  man  worthy  of  such  a  love, 
dearest,  it  is  the  perfect  and  absorbing  confidence  with 
which  your  sex  throw  themselves  on  the  justice  and  faith 
of  ours.  Did  that  spotless  heart  ever  entertain  a  doubt  of 
the  worth  of  any  living  being  on  which  it  had  set  its 
affections  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Of  itself,  often,  and  they  say  self-love  lies  at  the  bottom 
of  all  our  actions.” 

You  are  the  last  person  to  hold  this  doctrine,  beloved, 
for  those  who  live  most  in  your  confidence  declare  that  all 
traces  of  self  are  lost  in  your  very  nature.” 

“  Most  in  my  confidence  !  My  father — my  dear,  kind 
father  has  then  been  betraying  his  besetting  weakness,  by 
extolling  the  gift  he  has  made  ?  ” 

“Your  kind,  excellent  father  knows  too  well  the  total 
want  of  necessity  for  any  such  thing.  If  the  truth  must  be 
confessed,  I  have  been  passing  a  quarter  of  an  hour  with 
worthy  Ann  Sidley.” 

“Nanny — dear  old  Nanny! — and  you  have  been  weak 
enough,  traitor,  to  listen  to  the  eulogiums  of  a  nurse  on  her 
child  !  ’  ’ 

All  praise  of  thee,  m}^  blessed  Eve,  is  grateful  to  my 
ears,  and  who  can  speak  more  understandingly  of  those 


444 


ibome  as  ffounb 


domestic  qualities  which  lie  at  the  root  of  domestic  bliss, 
than  those  who  have  seen  you  in  your  most  intimate  life, 
from  childhood  down  to  the  moment  when  you  have 
assumed  the  duties  of  a  wife  ?  ’  ’ 

“Paul,  Paul,  thou  art  beside  thyself ;  too  much  learning 
hath  made  thee  mad  !  ” 

“I  am  not  mad,  most  beloved  and  beautiful  Eve,  but 
blessed  to  a  degree  that  might  indeed  upset  a  stronger 
reason.” 

“  We  will  now  talk  of  other  things,”  said  Eve,  raising  his 
hand  to  her  lips  in  respectful  affection,  and  looking  grate¬ 
fully  up  into  his  fond  and  eloquent  eyes;  “I  hope  the 
feeling  of  which  you  so  lately  spoke  has  subsided,  and  that 
you  no  longer  feel  yourself  a  stranger  in  the  dwelling  of 
your  own  family.” 

“  Now  that  I  can  claim  a  right  through  you,  I  confess 
that  my  conscience  is  getting  to  be  easier  on  this  point. 
Have  you  been  yet  told  of  the  arrangement  that  the  older 
heads  meditate  in  reference  to  our  future  means  ?  ’  ’ 

“  I  would  not  listen  to  my  dear  father  when  he  wished  to 
introduce  the  subject,  for  I  found  that  it  was  a  project  that 
made  distinctions  between  Paul  Effingham  and  Eve  Effing¬ 
ham — two  that  I  wish,  henceforth,  to  consider  as  one  in  all 
things.” 

“  In  this,  darling,  you  may  do  yourself  injustice  as  well 
as  me.  But  perhaps  you  may  not  wish  me  to  speak  on  the 
subject,  either.” 

‘  ‘  What  would  my  lord  ?  ’  ’ 

“  Then  listen,  and  the  tale  is  soon  told.  We  are  each 
other’s  natural  heirs.  Of  the  name  and  blood  of  Effingham, 
neither  has  a  relative  nearer  than  the  other,  for  though 
but  cousins  in  the  third  degree,  our  family  is  so  small  as  to 
render  the  husband,  in  this  case,  the  natural  heir  of  the 
wife,  and  the  wife  the  natural  heir  of  the  husband.  Now 
your  father  proposes  that  his  estates  be  valued,  and  that 
my  father  settle  on  you  a  sum  of  equal  amount,  which  his 
wealth  will  fully  enable  him  to  do,  and  that  I  become  the 
possessor,  in  reversion,  of  the  lands  that  would  otherwise 
have  been  yours.” 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


445 


“You  possess  me,  my  heart,  my  affections,  my  duty  ;  of 
what  account  is  money  after  this  !  ’  ’ 

“  I  perceive  that  you  are  so  much  and  so  truly  woman, 
Eve,  that  we  must  arrange  all  this  without  consulting  you 
at  all.  ’  ’ 

“Can  I  be  in  safer  hands?  A  father  that  has  always 
been  too  indulgent  of  my  unreasonable  wishes — a  second 
parent  that  has  only  contributed  too  much  to  spoil  me  in  the 
same  thoughtless  manner — and  a — ” 

“Husband,”  added  Paul,  perceiving  that  Eve  hesitated 
at  pronouncing  to  his  face  a  name  so  novel  though  so  en¬ 
dearing,  “  who  will  strive  to  do  more  than  either  in  the 
same  way.” 

“Husband,”  she  added,  looking  up  into  his  face  with 
a  smile  innocent  as  that  of  an  infant,  while  the  crimson 
tinge  covered  her  forehead,  “if  the  formidable  word  must 
be  uttered,  who  is  doing  all  he  can  to  increase  a  self¬ 
esteem  that  is  already  so  much  greater  than  it  ought  to 
be.” 

A  light  tap  at  the  door  caused  Eve  to  start  and  look  em¬ 
barrassed,  like  one  detected  in  a  fault,  and  Paul  to  release 
the  hand  that  he  had  continued  to  hold  during  the  brief  dia¬ 
logue. 

“Sir — ma’am,”  said  the  timid,  meek  voice  of  Ann  Sidley, 
as  she  held  the  door  ajar,  without  presuming  to  look  into 
the  room  ;  ‘  ‘  Miss  Eve — Mr.  Powis.  ’  ’ 

“  Enter,  my  good  Nanny,”  said  Eve,  recovering  her  self¬ 
composure  in  a  moment,  the  presence  of  her  nurse  always 
appearing  to  her  as  no  more  than  a  duplication  of  herself. 

‘  ‘  What  is  your  wish  ?  ’  ’ 

‘  ‘  I  hope  I  am  not  unreasonable,  but  I  knew  that  Mr.  Ef¬ 
fingham  was  alone  with  you,  here,  and  I  wished — that  is, 
ma’am — Miss  Eve — sir — ” 

‘  ‘  Speak  your  wishes,  my  good  old  nurse — am  I  not  your 
own  child,  and  is  not  this  your  own  child’s” — again  Eve 
hesitated,  blushed,  and  smiled,  ere  she  pronounced  the  for¬ 
midable  word — “  husband  ?  ” 

“Yes,  ma’am;  and  God  be  praised  that  it  is  so.  I 
dreamt — it  is  now  four  years,  Miss  Eve  ;  we  were  then  trav- 


446 


Ifoome  as  ffounfc 


elling  among  the  Denmarkers — and  I  dreamt  that  you  were 
married  to  a  great  prince — ” 

“But  your  dream  has  not  come  true,  my  good  Nanny, 
and  you  see  by  this  fact  that  it  is  not  always  safe  to  trust 
in  dreams.” 

“  Ma’am,  I  do  not  esteem  princes  by  the  kingdoms  and 
crowns,  but  by  their  qualities  ;  and  if  Mr.  Powis  be  not  a 
prince,  who  is  ?  ” 

“That,  indeed,  changes  the  matter,”  said  the  gratified 
young  wife;  “and  I  believe,  after  all,  dear  Nanny,  that  I 
must  become  a  convert  to  your  theory  of  dreams.” 

“  While  I  must  always  deny  it,  good  Mrs.  Sidley,  if  this 
is  a  specimen  of  its  truth,”  said  Paul,  laughing.  “But, 
perhaps  this  prince  proved  unworthy  of  Miss  Eve,  after 
all  !  ” 

“Not  he,  sir  ;  he  made  her  a  most  kind  and  affectionate 
husband  ;  not  humoring  all  her  idle  wishes,  if  Miss  Eve 
could  have  had  such  wishes,  but  cherishing  her,  and  coun¬ 
selling  her,  and  protecting  her,  showing  as  much  tenderness 
for  her  as  her  own  father,  and  as  much  love  for  her  as  I  had 
myself.  ’  ’ 

“  In  which  case,  my  worthy  nurse,  he  proved  an  invaluable 
husband,”  said  Eve,  with  glistening  eyes,  “  and  I  trust,  too, 
that  he  was  considerate  and  friendly  to  you  ?  ” 

“  He  took  me  by  the  hand,  the  morning  after  the  marriage, 
and  said,  Faithful  Ann  Sidley,  you  have  nursed  and  attended 
my  beloved  when  a  child,  and  as  a  young  lady  ;  and  I  now 
entreat  you  will  continue  to  wait  on  and  serve  her  as  a  wife 
to  your  dying  day.  He  did,  indeed,  ma’am  ;  and  I  think  I 
can  now  hear  the  very  words  he  spoke  so  kindly.  The 
dream,  so  far,  has  come  good.” 

“  My  faithful  Ann,”  said  Paul,  smiling,  and  taking  the 
hand  of  the  nurse,  ‘  ‘  you  have  been  all  that  is  good  and  true 
to  my  best  beloved,  as  a  child,  and  as  a  young  lady  ;  and 
now  I  earnestly  entreat  you  to  continue  to  wait  on  her,  and 
to  serve  her  as  my  wife,  to  your  dying  day.” 

Nanny  clapped  her  hands  with  a  scream  of  delight,  and 
bursting  into  tears,  she  exclaimed,  as  she  hurried  from  the 
room, — 


Ibome  as  ffounfc 


447 


“  It  has  all  come  true — it  has  all  come  true  !  ” 

A  pause  of  several  minutes  succeeded  this  burst  of  super¬ 
stitious  but  natural  feeling. 

“  All  who  live  near  you  appear  to  think  you  the  common 
centre  of  their  affections,”  Paul  resumed,  when  his  swelling 
heart  permitted  him  to  speak. 

“We  have  hitherto  been  a  family  of  love — God  grant  it 
may  always  continue  so.” 

Another  delicious  silence,  which  lasted  still  longer  than 
the  other,  followed.  Eve  then  looked  up  into  her  husband’s 
face  with  a  gentle  curiosity,  and  observed, — 

“You  have  told  me  a  great  deal,  Powis — explained  all 
but  one  little  thing,  that  at  the  time  caused  me  great 
pain.  Why  did  Ducie,  when  j^ou  were  about  to  quit  the 
Montauk  together,  so  unceremoniously  stop  you,  as  you 
were  about  to  get  into  the  boat  first ;  is  the  etiquette  of  a 
man-of-war  so  rigid  as  to  justify  so  much  rudeness,  I  had 
almost  called  it  ?  ” 

“  The  etiquette  of  a  vessel  of  war  is  rigid  certainly,  and 
wisely  so.  But  what  you  fancied  rudeness,  was  in  truth  a 
compliment.  Among  us  sailors,  it  is  the  inferior  who  goes 
first  into  a  boat,  and  who  quits  it  last.” 

“  So  much,  then,  for  forming  a  judgment  ignorantly  !  I 
believe  it  is  always  safer  to  have  no  opinion,  than  to  form 
one  without  a  perfect  knowledge  of  all  the  accompanying 
circumstances.” 

“  Tet  us  adhere  to  this  safe  rule  through  life,  dearest,  and 
we  may  find  its  benefits.  An  absolute  confidence,  caution 
in  drawing  conclusions,  and  a  just  reliance  on  each  other, 
may  keep  us  as  happy  to  the  end  of  our  married  life  as  we 
are  at  this  blessed  moment,  when  it  is  commencing  under 
auspices  so  favorable  as  to  seem  almost  providential.” 


THE)  END. 


UNIVERSmr  OF  illinois-urbana 


3  0112  073936160 


